Human Electrophysiological Responses to Tactile Stimuli Presented at Different Rates.
Abstract
Traditionally, studies of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) in humans have employed primarily by punctate electrical stimulation of peripheral nerve (e.g, Allison et al. 1989, 1991a, 1991b; Desmedt 1988; Erwin et al. 1987; Larrea et al. 1992). Although responses to electrical shocks have served well to elucidate the neural genesis of these surface-recorded potentials (Allison et al. 1989, 1991a, 1991b, 1992; Desmedt 1988), they have, nevertheless, failed to provide a physiologically meaningful correlate of psychophysically-relevant tactile experience (Rosner and Goff 1967; Sherrick and Cholewiak 1986; Uttal and Cook 1964). Stimuli that engage normal transduction mechanisms, e.g taps or vibrations delivered to the skin, have been employed in only a few studies (e.g, Franzen and Offenloch 1969; Galambos 1982; Gjerdingen and Tomsic 1970; Hamalainen et al. 1990; Hari 1980; Hashimoto et al. 1988, 1990; Hay and Davis 1971; Huttunen and Homberg 1991; Johnson et al. 1975; Kekoni et al. 1992; Pratt et al. 1980, 1986; Stowell 1975). Because driving of skin mechanoreceptors with vibratory stimuli has proved particularly useful in characterization of the input channels involved in tactile perception, it has been used extensively in psychophysical studies of somatosensation in humans (Gescheider and Wright 1968; Gable and Hollins 1993; Hahn 1968; Hollins et al. 1990). Vibratory input is also useful for exploration of system linearity at progressively higher levels along the somatosensory pathway (Goochin, John and Darian-Smith 1989; Mountcastle 1984; Namerow et al. 1974; olMara et al. 1988).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA298108
Entities
People
- Debra Mclaughlin
- Scott Makeig
Organizations
- Naval Health Research Center