Category Ranking
98%
Total Visits
921
Avg Visit Duration
2 minutes
Citations
20
Article Abstract
Background: Gamma wave activity in the sensorimotor cortex is a critical neural mechanism associated with proprioceptive processing, which is essential for motor coordination, balance, and spatial orientation. The modulation of gamma oscillations by different types of tactile stimuli, including affective touch, is not well understood, particularly in children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as cerebral palsy and autism spectrum disorder.
Aims: This study aims to explore how affective touch influences gamma oscillatory activity and proprioceptive performance in children with typical development, cerebral palsy and autism spectrum disorders.
Methods And Procedures: EEG data were recorded from participants during passive wrist mobilizations under three conditions: following an affective touch stimulus, after a non-affective touch stimulus, and with no tactile stimulation. Time-frequency analysis of low gamma activity (30-45 Hz) on the left somatosensory cortex was conducted for each condition. Proprioceptive performance was assessed through participants' accuracy in identifying wrist positions. Proprioception and pleasantness of affective and non-affective touch were also assessed.
Results: Affective touch increased proprioceptive gamma power density. Children with cerebral palsy had poorer proprioception and higher brain gamma power density for processing movement than children with typical development or autism, and their proprioception worsened with non-affective touch.
Conclusion And Implications: These findings highlight the potential of affective touch to modulate gamma oscillatory activity and enhance proprioceptive function, particularly in children with cerebral palsy. The results underscore the importance of incorporating emotionally meaningful sensory inputs in therapeutic interventions to support proprioceptive and motor function in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11850360 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2025.1538428 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
CT-Optimal Stimulation Modulates Somatosensory Processing.
Psychophysiology
September 2025
Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory (PNL), Research Center in Psychology (CIPsi), School of Psychology, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal.
Touch has an affective dimension, conveyed through low-threshold mechanoreceptors known as C-tactile (CT) afferents, which are activated by gentle, caress-like contact. While there is evidence that these fibers modulate nociceptive input, their influence on the processing of other somatosensory afferent activity remains largely unknown. In this study, we explored how slow brushing (CT-optimal stimulation) modulates somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) elicited by electrical stimulation of the median nerve (occurring at 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDoes affective touch buffer emotional distress? Insights from subjective and physiological indices.
Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci
September 2025
Dipartimento di Psicologia dello Sviluppo e della Socializzazione (DPSS), University of Padova, Italy.
Affective touch, mediated by the activation of C-tactile afferents, has the potential to modulate affective states and physiological responses in situations of emotional distress, across the lifespan. The present study aims to disentangle psychophysiological mechanisms supporting autonomic and emotional self-regulation, focusing on the possible buffering role of affective touch. Childless adult participants (N = 92) were presented with videos of an infant babbling (positive scene) and an infant crying (emotionally negative scene), followed by a tactile stimulation either affective (brushing) or non-affective (tapping).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDoes it always work? Temporal stability of psychological and physiological responses evoked by slow stroking.
Int J Psychophysiol
September 2025
Institute of Psychology, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary, Ádám György Psychophysiology Research Group, Budapest, Hungary. Electronic address:
Slow gentle stroking of the hairy skin, also called affective touch, has both psychological (i.e., pleasantness of the sensation, improvement of mood state) and physiological (e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAβ low threshold mechanoreceptors contribute to sensory abnormalities in fibromyalgia.
Brain
September 2025
Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) is characterized by widespread pain and fatigue. People living with FM also experience tactile allodynia, cold-evoked pain, paresthesia and dysesthesia. There is evidence of small fiber neuropathy and hyperexcitability of nociceptors in FM, however the presence of other sensory abnormalities suggests involvement of large diameter sensory fibers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMechanoreceptive Aβ primary afferents discriminate naturalistic social touch inputs at a functionally relevant time scale.
IEEE Trans Affect Comput
July 2024
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903 USA.
Interpersonal touch is an important channel of social emotional interaction. How these physical skin-to-skin touch expressions are processed in the peripheral nervous system is not well understood. From microneurography recordings in humans, we evaluated the capacity of six subtypes of cutaneous mechanoreceptive afferents to differentiate human-delivered social touch expressions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF