Inhibitory rTMS of secondary somatosensory cortex reduces intensity but not pleasantness of gentle touch

Neuroscience Letters
Laura K CaseM Catherine Bushnell

Abstract

Research suggests that the discriminative and affective aspects of touch are processed differently in the brain. Primary somatosensory cortex is strongly implicated in touch discrimination, whereas insular and prefronal regions have been associated with pleasantness aspects of touch. However, the role of secondary somatosensory cortex (S2) is less clear. In the current study we used inhibitory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to temporarily deactivate S2 and probe its role in touch perception. Nineteen healthy adults received two sessions of 1-Hz rTMS on separate days, one targeting right S2 and the other targeting the vertex (control). Before and after rTMS, subjects rated the intensity and pleasantness of slow and fast gentle brushing of the hand and performed a 2-point tactile discrimination task, followed by fMRI during additional brushing. rTMS to S2 (but not vertex) decreased intensity ratings of fast brushing, without altering touch pleasantness or spatial discrimination. MRI showed a reduced response to brushing in S2 (but not in S1 or insula) after S2 rTMS. Together, our results show that reducing touch-evoked activity in S2 decreases perceived touch intensity, suggesting a causal role of S2 in touch...Continue Reading

Citations

Sep 30, 2018·Scientific Reports·Charlotte KrahéAikaterini Fotopoulou
Feb 6, 2019·Scientific Reports·Timmy StraussIlona Croy
Jan 25, 2020·ELife·Louise P KirschAikaterini Fotopoulou
Oct 30, 2018·Neuromodulation : Journal of the International Neuromodulation Society·Primavera A SpagnoloMark Hallett
Aug 1, 2020·Frontiers in Human Neuroscience·Fran López-CaballeroCarles Escera
Sep 13, 2020·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·James H KryklywyRebecca M Todd
Apr 24, 2021·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·Gianluca CrucianiGrazia Fernanda Spitoni
Sep 16, 2020·Neuroscience·Juulia T SuvilehtoLauri Nummenmaa
Nov 11, 2021·Science Translational Medicine·Nicole Mercer LindsayGrégory Scherrer

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