Spatial summation in the tactile sensory system: probability summation and neural integration

Somatosensory & Motor Research
G A GescheiderAnne Fontana

Abstract

Psychophysical thresholds for the detection of a 300-Hz burst of vibration applied to the thenar eminence were measured for stimuli applied to the skin through 1.5 cm2 and through 0.05 cm2 contactors. Thresholds were approximately 13 dB lower when the area of the contactor was 1.5 cm2 than when it was 0.05 cm2. The difference between the thresholds measured with the large and small contactors was significantly reduced when only the lowest thresholds obtained in the testing sessions were considered. This result supports the hypothesis that one component of spatial summation in the P channel is probability summation. In addition, threshold measurements within a session were less variable when measured with the 1.5 cm2 contactor. We conclude that spatial summation in the P channel is a joint function of two processes that occur as the areal extent of the stimulus increases: probability summation in which the probability of exceeding the psychophysical detection threshold increases as the number of receptors of varying sensitivities increases, and neural integration in which neural activity originating from separate receptors is combined within the central nervous system rendering the channel more sensitive to the stimulus.

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Citations

Jan 24, 2014·PloS One·Ryan M Peters, Daniel Goldreich
Jun 9, 2015·Somatosensory & Motor Research·Burak GüçlüMark Tommerdahl
Sep 2, 2010·Somatosensory & Motor Research·Sue Ann Seah, Michael J Griffin
Jan 17, 2015·Journal of Neuroscience Methods·İsmail Devecioğlu, Burak Güçlü
Oct 5, 2017·Attention, Perception & Psychophysics·Alexandra Lezkan, Knut Drewing
May 31, 2018·International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders·Anna MilesAlexandra Hunting
Nov 11, 2010·Dysphagia·Steven B LederBarry G Green
May 26, 2020·Somatosensory & Motor Research·İpek Karakuş, Burak Güçlü
Apr 12, 2017·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Elena CalzolariMatthew R Longo
Dec 1, 2016·Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy : HKJOT·Si-Nae AhnSujin Hwang
May 27, 2021·Journal of Neurophysiology·Scinob Kuroki 黒木 忍Shin'ya Nishida 西田 眞也

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