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Packheiser J, Hartmann H, Fredriksen K, Gazzola V, Keysers C, Michon F. A systematic review and multivariate meta-analysis of the physical and mental health benefits of touch interventions. Nat Hum Behav 2024; 8:1088-1107. [PMID: 38589702 PMCID: PMC11199149 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01841-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Receiving touch is of critical importance, as many studies have shown that touch promotes mental and physical well-being. We conducted a pre-registered (PROSPERO: CRD42022304281) systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis encompassing 137 studies in the meta-analysis and 75 additional studies in the systematic review (n = 12,966 individuals, search via Google Scholar, PubMed and Web of Science until 1 October 2022) to identify critical factors moderating touch intervention efficacy. Included studies always featured a touch versus no touch control intervention with diverse health outcomes as dependent variables. Risk of bias was assessed via small study, randomization, sequencing, performance and attrition bias. Touch interventions were especially effective in regulating cortisol levels (Hedges' g = 0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24 to 1.31) and increasing weight (0.65, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.94) in newborns as well as in reducing pain (0.69, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.89), feelings of depression (0.59, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.78) and state (0.64, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.84) or trait anxiety (0.59, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.77) for adults. Comparing touch interventions involving objects or robots resulted in similar physical (0.56, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.88 versus 0.51, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.64) but lower mental health benefits (0.34, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.49 versus 0.58, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.73). Adult clinical cohorts profited more strongly in mental health domains compared with healthy individuals (0.63, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.80 versus 0.37, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.55). We found no difference in health benefits in adults when comparing touch applied by a familiar person or a health care professional (0.51, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.73 versus 0.50, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.61), but parental touch was more beneficial in newborns (0.69, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.88 versus 0.39, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.61). Small but significant small study bias and the impossibility to blind experimental conditions need to be considered. Leveraging factors that influence touch intervention efficacy will help maximize the benefits of future interventions and focus research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Packheiser
- Social Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Helena Hartmann
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Translational and Behavioral Neuroscience, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
- Clinical Neurosciences, Department for Neurology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Kelly Fredriksen
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Valeria Gazzola
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Christian Keysers
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Frédéric Michon
- Social Brain Lab, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Art and Sciences, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Isoardo G, Adenzato M, Ciullo S, Fontana E, Stura I, Migliaretti G, Titolo P, Matteoni E, Calvo A, Laino F, Palumbo F, Ardito RB. Emotion Processing in Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: An Observational Study. Med Sci (Basel) 2024; 12:27. [PMID: 38804383 PMCID: PMC11130802 DOI: 10.3390/medsci12020027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In clinical practice, the implementation of tailored treatment is crucial for assessing the patient's emotional processing profile. Here, we investigate all three levels of analysis characterizing emotion processing, i.e., recognition, representation, and regulation, in patients with peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP). METHODS Sixty-two patients and forty-eight healthy controls underwent quantitative sensory testing, i.e., psychophysical tests to assess somatosensory functions such as perception of cold (CDT), heat-induced pain (HPT), and vibration (VDT), as well as three standardized tasks to assess emotional processing: (1) the Ekman 60-Faces Test (EK-60F) to assess recognition of basic facial emotions, (2) the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RME) to assess the ability to represent the feelings of another person by observing their eyes, and (3) the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) to assess emotional dysregulation, i.e., alexithymia. RESULTS General Linear Model analysis revealed a significant relationship between left index finger VDT z-scores in PNP patients with alexithymia. The RME correlated with VDT z-scores of the left little finger and overall score for the EK-60F. CONCLUSIONS In patients with PNP, emotion processing is impaired, which emphasizes the importance of assessing these abilities appropriately in these patients. In this way, clinicians can tailor treatment to the needs of individual patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Isoardo
- Department of Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino”, 10126 Turin, Italy;
| | - Mauro Adenzato
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy; (M.A.); (S.C.); (E.F.)
| | - Stefano Ciullo
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy; (M.A.); (S.C.); (E.F.)
| | - Elena Fontana
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy; (M.A.); (S.C.); (E.F.)
| | - Ilaria Stura
- Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini”, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (I.S.); (E.M.); (A.C.); (F.P.)
| | - Giuseppe Migliaretti
- Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Turin, 10126 Torino, Italy;
| | - Paolo Titolo
- UOD Reconstructive Microsurgery, Department of Orthopedics & Traumatology, Hospital “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino”, 10126 Turin, Italy;
| | - Enrico Matteoni
- Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini”, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (I.S.); (E.M.); (A.C.); (F.P.)
| | - Andrea Calvo
- Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini”, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (I.S.); (E.M.); (A.C.); (F.P.)
- 1st Neurology Unit, Department of Neurosciences & Mental Health, Hospital “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino”, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Federica Laino
- Unit of Pain Management and Palliative Care, Department of Anesthesia, Intensive Care and Emergency, Hospital “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino”, 10126 Turin, Italy;
| | - Francesca Palumbo
- Department of Neuroscience “Rita Levi Montalcini”, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; (I.S.); (E.M.); (A.C.); (F.P.)
| | - Rita B. Ardito
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy; (M.A.); (S.C.); (E.F.)
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3
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Park W, Jamil MH, Eid M. Alpha interbrain synchrony during mediated interpersonal touch. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300128. [PMID: 38758733 PMCID: PMC11101020 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Interpersonal touch plays a crucial role in human communication, development, and wellness. Mediated interpersonal touch (MIT), a technology to distance or virtually simulated interpersonal touch, has received significant attention to counteract the negative consequences of touch deprivation. Studies investigating the effectiveness of MIT have primarily focused on self-reporting or behavioral correlates. It is largely unknown how MIT affects neural processes such as interbrain functional connectivity during human interactions. Given how users exchange haptic information simultaneously during interpersonal touch, interbrain functional connectivity provides a more ecologically valid way of studying the neural correlates associated with MIT. In this study, a palm squeeze task is designed to examine interbrain synchrony associated with MIT using EEG-based hyperscanning methodology. The phase locking value (PLV) index is used to measure interbrain synchrony. Results demonstrate that MIT elicits a significant increase in alpha interbrain synchronization between participants' brains. Especially, there was a significant difference in the alpha PLV indices between no MIT and MIT conditions in the early stage (130-470 ms) of the interaction period (t-test, p < 0.05). Given the role that alpha interbrain synchrony plays during social interaction, a significant increase in PLV index during MIT interaction seems to indicate an effect of social coordination. The findings and limitations of this study are further discussed, and perspectives on future research are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanjoo Park
- Engineering Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Muhammad Hassan Jamil
- Engineering Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohamad Eid
- Engineering Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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4
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Chen W, Ma H, Dong D. Social touch: intertwining with embodied others. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1171062. [PMID: 37397331 PMCID: PMC10309003 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1171062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Chen
- Center for Brain, Mind and Education, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
- Department of Psychology, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
- Interdisciplinary Center for Philosophy and Cognitive Sciences, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Huanhuan Ma
- Center for Brain, Mind and Education, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
- Department of Psychology, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
| | - Da Dong
- Center for Brain, Mind and Education, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
- Department of Psychology, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
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Naal-Ruiz NE, Alonso-Valerdi LM, Ibarra-Zarate DI, Serrano-Cena A, Navas-Reascos G. Mexican validation of the International Affective Digitized Sounds second edition (IADS-2) and additional sounds. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21824. [PMID: 36528640 PMCID: PMC9758458 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26320-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Affective stimuli have been extensively used in emotion research for a better understanding of emotion regulation. Sound ratings, specifically non-verbal sounds, are biased by demographic indicators such as sex and nationality. Therefore, it is crucial to characterize sounds prior to their use in emotion research. This study aims to validate the IADS-2 database and additional sounds in a sample from the Mexican population. Three hundred twenty-nine participants born and raised in Mexico remotely listened to 174 sounds in monophonic format. They rated sounds according to the valence-arousal-dominance model using the Self-Assessment Manikin test. Results positively correlated to those of previous studies. Sex differences were observed only in dominance between female and male groups, contrary to the results from Portuguese, American and Japanese validations. Geographic region analysis demonstrated differences in arousal, indicating the need for additional research on occident and south regions. Furthermore, when conducting affective research, headphones and audio quality should be considered, primarily to reduce variability due to audio-related aspects, and to avoid changes in emotional experience. Finally, this study supports the feasibility of remote affective sound experiments over the internet as reported in previous research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norberto E. Naal-Ruiz
- grid.419886.a0000 0001 2203 4701Escuela de Ingenieria y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, 64849 Monterrey, Nuevo Leon Mexico
| | - Luz M. Alonso-Valerdi
- grid.419886.a0000 0001 2203 4701Escuela de Ingenieria y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, 64849 Monterrey, Nuevo Leon Mexico
| | - David I. Ibarra-Zarate
- grid.419886.a0000 0001 2203 4701Escuela de Ingenieria y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, 64849 Monterrey, Nuevo Leon Mexico
| | - Alba Serrano-Cena
- grid.419886.a0000 0001 2203 4701Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Tecnologico de Monterrey, 64849 Monterrey, Nuevo Leon Mexico
| | - Gustavo Navas-Reascos
- grid.419886.a0000 0001 2203 4701Escuela de Ingenieria y Ciencias, Tecnologico de Monterrey, 64849 Monterrey, Nuevo Leon Mexico
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Robot touch with speech boosts positive emotions. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6884. [PMID: 35477945 PMCID: PMC9046250 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10503-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
A gentle touch is an essential part of human interaction that produces a positive care effect. Previously, robotics studies have shown that robots can reproduce a gentle touch that elicits similar, positive emotional responses in humans. However, whether the positive emotional effects of a robot's touch combined with speech can be enhanced using a multimodal approach remains unclear. This study supports the hypothesis that a multimodal interaction combining gentle touch and speech by a robot enhances positive emotional responses. Here, we conducted an experiment using a robotic arm to perform a gentle touch combined with speech and compared three conditions: touch alone, speech alone, and touch with speech. We assessed participants' subjective ratings of valence, arousal, and human likeliness using subjective emotional responses. Furthermore, we recorded facial electromyography (EMG) from the corrugator supercilii and zygomaticus major muscles and measured skin conductance levels (SCLs) as physiological emotional responses. Our results show that touch combined with speech elicited higher subjective valence and arousal ratings, stronger zygomaticus major EMG and SCL activities than touch alone. The results suggest that the positive emotional effects of robotic touch can be boosted by combining elements of speech.
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7
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Analysis of Intracerebral Activity during Reflex Locomotion Stimulation According to Vojta’s Principle. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12042225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Vojta’s therapy is a widely used approach in both the prevention and therapy of musculoskeletal disorders. Changes in the musculoskeletal system have been described repeatedly, but the principles of the approach have not yet been clarified. The objective of our study was to evaluate changes of intracerebral activity using electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) that arise during reflex locomotion stimulation of the breast trigger zone according to Vojta’s therapy. Seventeen healthy women took part in the experiment (aged 20–30 years old). EEG activity was recorded 5 min prior to the reflex locomotion stimulation, during stimulation, and 5 min after the stimulation. The obtained data were subsequently processed in the sLORETA program and statistically evaluated at the significance level p ≤ 0.05. The analysis found statistically significant differences in the frequency bands alpha-2, beta-1, and beta-2 between the condition prior to stimulation and the actual stimulation in BAs 6, 7, 23, 24, and 31 and between the resting condition prior to stimulation, and the condition after the stimulation was terminated in the frequency bands alpha-1, alpha-2, beta-1, and beta-2 in BAs 3, 4, 6, and 24. The results showed that reflex locomotion stimulation according to Vojta’s therapy modulates electrical activity in the brain areas responsible for movement planning and regulating and performing the movement.
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8
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Schirmer A, Lai O, McGlone F, Cham C, Lau D. Gentle Stroking Elicits Somatosensory ERP that Differentiates Between Hairy and Glabrous Skin. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2022; 17:864-875. [PMID: 35277720 PMCID: PMC9433843 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsac012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we asked whether, similar to visual and auditory event-related potentials (ERPs), somatosensory ERPs reflect affect. Participants were stroked on hairy or glabrous skin at five stroking velocities (0.5, 1, 3, 10 and 20 cm/s). For stroking of hairy skin, pleasantness ratings related to velocity in an inverted u-shaped manner. ERPs showed a negativity at 400 ms following touch onset over somatosensory cortex contra-lateral to the stimulation site. This negativity, referred to as sN400, was larger for intermediate than for faster and slower velocities and positively predicted pleasantness ratings. For stroking of glabrous skin, pleasantness showed again an inverted u-shaped relation with velocity and, additionally, increased linearly with faster stroking. The sN400 revealed no quadratic effect and instead was larger for faster velocities. Its amplitude failed to significantly predict pleasantness. In sum, as was reported for other senses, a touch’s affective value modulates the somatosensory ERP. Notably, however, this ERP and associated subjective pleasantness dissociate between hairy and glabrous skin underscoring functional differences between the skin with which we typically receive touch and the skin with which we typically reach out to touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annett Schirmer
- Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
- The Brain and Mind Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Oscar Lai
- Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Francis McGlone
- School of Natural Sciences & Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, UK
- Institute of Psychology, Health & Society, University of Liverpool, UK
| | - Clare Cham
- Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Darwin Lau
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong SAR
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10
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Harjunen VJ, Sjö P, Ahmed I, Saarinen A, Farmer H, Salminen M, Järvelä S, Ruonala A, Jacucci G, Ravaja N. Increasing Self-Other Similarity Modulates Ethnic Bias in Sensorimotor Resonance to Others' Pain. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 17:673-682. [PMID: 34669949 PMCID: PMC9250302 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsab113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The tendency to simulate the pain of others within our own sensorimotor systems is a vital component of empathy. However, this sensorimotor resonance is modulated by a multitude of social factors including similarity in bodily appearance, e.g. skin colour. The current study investigated whether increasing self-other similarity via virtual transfer to another colour body reduced ingroup bias in sensorimotor resonance. A sample of 58 white participants was momentarily transferred to either a black or a white body using virtual reality technology. We then employed electroencephalography (EEG) to examine event-related desynchronization (ERD) in the sensorimotor beta (13-23 Hz) oscillations while they viewed black, white, and violet photorealistic virtual agents being touched with a noxious or soft object. While the noxious treatment of a violet agent did not increase beta ERD, amplified beta ERD in response to black agent's noxious vs. soft treatment was found in perceivers transferred to black body. Transfer to the white body dismissed the effect. Further exploratory analysis implied that the pain-related beta ERD occurred only when the agent and the participant were of the same colour. The results suggest that even short-lasting changes in bodily resemblance can modulate sensorimotor resonance to others' perceived pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ville Johannes Harjunen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Petja Sjö
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Imtiaj Ahmed
- Department of Computer Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Aino Saarinen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Harry Farmer
- School of Human Sciences, University of Greenwich, London, United Kingdom.,Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mikko Salminen
- Gamification Group, Faculty of Information Technology and Communications, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Simo Järvelä
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Gamification Group, Faculty of Information Technology and Communications, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Antti Ruonala
- Department of Computer Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Giulio Jacucci
- Department of Computer Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Niklas Ravaja
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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11
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Saarinen A, Harjunen V, Jasinskaja-Lahti I, Jääskeläinen IP, Ravaja N. Social touch experience in different contexts: A review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:360-372. [PMID: 34537266 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Social touch is increasingly utilized in a variety of psychological interventions, ranging from parent-child interventions to psychotherapeutic treatments. Less attention has been paid, however, to findings that exposure to social touch may not necessarily evoke positive or pleasant responses. Social touch can convey different emotions from love and gratitude to harassment and envy, and persons' preferences to touch and be touched do not necessarily match with each other. This review of altogether 99 original studies focuses on how contextual factors modify target person's behavioral and brain responses to social touch. The review shows that experience of social touch is strongly modified by a variety of toucher-related and situational factors: for example, toucher's facial expressions, physical attractiveness, relationship status, group membership, and touched person's psychological distress. At the neural level, contextual factors modify processing of social touch from early perceptual processing to reflective cognitive evaluation. Based on the review, we present implications for using social touch in behavioral and neuroscientific research designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aino Saarinen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Ville Harjunen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Inga Jasinskaja-Lahti
- Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Iiro P Jääskeläinen
- Brain and Mind Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University School of Science, Espoo, Finland; International Laboratory of Social Neurobiology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Niklas Ravaja
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
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De Luca E, Fatigante M, Zucchermaglio C, Alby F. "Awareness to touch": A qualitative study of nurses' perceptions of interpersonal professional contact after an experiential training. Nurse Educ Pract 2021; 56:103187. [PMID: 34534725 DOI: 10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
AIM This study aimed to explore nurses' perceptions of touch in their professional practice and how these perceptions were articulated in discourse, among participants who attended a specific training on touch and those who did not. BACKGROUND Touch is an essential part of nursing practice. Research showed that the use of touch influences patients' general well-being, improving a sense of presence and infusing security and encouragement. Nurses' attitude towards touch influence positively their job satisfaction and reduces burnout syndrome risks. Nevertheless, there are very few studies describing specifically nurses' perceptions and opinions about the use of interpersonal physical contact in the clinical setting. Also, an educational perspective focusing on touch seems missing from nursing curricula and research. DESIGN A qualitative methodology was adopted. Focus groups were organized to explore how nurses define and interpret touch and its relevance in their professional practice. The findings obtained in a previous quantitative step of this research inspired the formulation of the questions posed to nurse participants. METHODS Six focus groups were conducted in three Italian hospitals, which also hosted a one-day training on touch. For each hospital, a purposive sampling approach was used to organize two focus groups: one was made up of nurses who attended the training, and one was made up of nurses who did not. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to identify recurring patterns of meaning by which touch is discussed and interpreted in the focus groups. RESULTS Registered nurses (N = 39) from different clinical experiences participated in six focus groups. The analysis identified four themes: 1) Touch preferences, 2) Touch and Contact as a natural dimension, 3) Touch as a "praxis" and 4) Reflexivity on Touch. All six focus groups showed a general awareness of interpersonal touch and discussed it as a highly valorized (personal and professional) dimension. Specifically, the trained nurses showed a greater variety and richness of their lexicon, a semantic and imaginary repository by which they described their experience and competence. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights that nurses consider touch as an important, essential part of their practice. Moreover, it suggests that specific training on interpersonal touch in nursing care facilitate nurses to shift their perceptions from a generic, abstract and "personal" dimension, into an articulated, disciplined and specialized practice. This has implications for education on touch in nursing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico De Luca
- University of Rome 'Sapienza', Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Via Dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy; University of Parma, Department of Medicine and Surgery, via Università, 43121 Parma, Italy.
| | - Marilena Fatigante
- University of Rome 'Sapienza', Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Via Dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Zucchermaglio
- University of Rome 'Sapienza', Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Via Dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Alby
- University of Rome 'Sapienza', Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Via Dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
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Ege Cansev M, Nordheimer D, Andrea Kirchner E, Beckerle P. Feel-Good Requirements: Neurophysiological and Psychological Design Criteria of Affective Touch for (Assistive) Robots. Front Neurorobot 2021; 15:661207. [PMID: 34295234 PMCID: PMC8290122 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2021.661207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research has shown the value of the sense of embodiment, i.e., being able to integrate objects into one's bodily self-representation, and its connection to (assistive) robotics. Especially, tactile interfaces seem essential to integrate assistive robots into one's body model. Beyond functional feedback, such as tactile force sensing, the human sense of touch comprises specialized nerves for affective signals, which transmit positive sensations during slow and low-force tactile stimulations. Since these signals are extremely relevant for body experience as well as social and emotional contacts but scarcely considered in recent assistive devices, this review provides a requirement analysis to consider affective touch in engineering design. By analyzing quantitative and qualitative information from engineering, cognitive psychology, and neuroscienctific research, requirements are gathered and structured. The resulting requirements comprise technical data such as desired motion or force/torque patterns and an evaluation of potential stimulation modalities as well as their relations to overall user experience, e.g., pleasantness and realism of the sensations. This review systematically considers the very specific characteristics of affective touch and the corresponding parts of the neural system to define design goals and criteria. Based on the analysis, design recommendations for interfaces mediating affective touch are derived. This includes a consideration of biological principles and human perception thresholds which are complemented by an analysis of technical possibilities. Finally, we outline which psychological factors can be satisfied by the mediation of affective touch to increase acceptance of assistive devices and outline demands for further research and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Ege Cansev
- Chair of Autonomous Systems and Mechatronics, Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Daniel Nordheimer
- Elastic Lightweight Robotics Group, Institute of Robotics Research, Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, Technische Universität Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Elsa Andrea Kirchner
- Robotics Research Group, Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.,Robotics Innovation Center, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, Bremen, Germany
| | - Philipp Beckerle
- Chair of Autonomous Systems and Mechatronics, Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Institute for Mechatronic Systems, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
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14
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FeelMusic: Enriching Our Emotive Experience of Music through Audio-Tactile Mappings. MULTIMODAL TECHNOLOGIES AND INTERACTION 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/mti5060029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
We present and evaluate the concept of FeelMusic and evaluate an implementation of it. It is an augmentation of music through the haptic translation of core musical elements. Music and touch are intrinsic modes of affective communication that are physically sensed. By projecting musical features such as rhythm and melody into the haptic domain, we can explore and enrich this embodied sensation; hence, we investigated audio-tactile mappings that successfully render emotive qualities. We began by investigating the affective qualities of vibrotactile stimuli through a psychophysical study with 20 participants using the circumplex model of affect. We found positive correlations between vibration frequency and arousal across participants, but correlations with valence were specific to the individual. We then developed novel FeelMusic mappings by translating key features of music samples and implementing them with “Pump-and-Vibe”, a wearable interface utilising fluidic actuation and vibration to generate dynamic haptic sensations. We conducted a preliminary investigation to evaluate the FeelMusic mappings by gathering 20 participants’ responses to the musical, tactile and combined stimuli, using valence ratings and descriptive words from Hevner’s adjective circle to measure affect. These mappings, and new tactile compositions, validated that FeelMusic interfaces have the potential to enrich musical experiences and be a means of affective communication in their own right. FeelMusic is a tangible realisation of the expression “feel the music”, enriching our musical experiences.
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15
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Rizzolatti G, D'Alessio A, Marchi M, Di Cesare G. The neural bases of tactile vitality forms and their modulation by social context. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9095. [PMID: 33907207 PMCID: PMC8079712 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87919-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
People communicate using speech, gestures, and, less frequently, touches. An example of tactile communication is represented by handshake. Customs surrounding handshake vary in different cultures. In Western societies is mostly used when meeting, parting, as a sign of congratulations or at the end of a successful business. Despite its importance in social life, the neural mechanism underlying the affective components conveyed by handshake ("tactile vitality forms") is unknown. Here we combined functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electromyography (EMG), to investigate the neural affective activations during handshakes. We demonstrated that handshake conveying gentle or aggressive tactile vitality forms produces a stronger activation of the dorso-central insula. The simultaneous presence of emotional facial expressions modulates the activation of this insular sector. Finally, we provide evidence that the cingulate cortex is involved in the processing of facial expressions conveying different vitality forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Rizzolatti
- Neuroscience Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
- Istituto di Neuroscienze, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Parma, Italy.
| | - A D'Alessio
- Istituto di Neuroscienze, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Parma, Italy
| | - M Marchi
- Department of Computer Science, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - G Di Cesare
- Neuroscience Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Cognitive Architecture for Collaborative Technologies Unit, Italian Institute of Technology, Genova, Italy
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16
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Isoardo G, Ciullo S, Titolo P, Fontana E, Battiston B, Stella M, Luxardo N, Laino F, Migliaretti G, Stura I, Ardito RB, Adenzato M. The relationship between alexithymia, sensory phenotype and neurophysiological parameters in patients with chronic upper limb neuropathy. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2021; 128:61-71. [PMID: 33315145 PMCID: PMC7815565 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-020-02282-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the relationship between sensory abnormalities evaluated by quantitative sensory testing (QST) and alexithymia, depression and anxiety in patients with neuropathic pain involving the upper limbs. We enrolled 62 patients (34 with carpal tunnel syndrome, 7 with brachial plexopathy, 3 with cervical painful radiculopathy, 5 with ulnar entrapment neuropathy at elbow and 13 with post-burn hypertrophic scars) and 48 healthy controls. All underwent nerve conduction studies (NCS), evaluation of cold, heat pain and vibration detection threshold (VDT) by QST and evaluation of alexithymia by Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), depression by Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), anxiety by State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y), level of psychological distress by 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and perceived social support by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). The general linear model analysis revealed a significant relationship between TAS-20 overall and TAS-20 sub-score for difficulty identifying feelings and VDT z-scores in the left index with no interaction by year of education and sensory NCS results. Our results demonstrated the association between impairment of vibratory sensation of the left hand, reflecting cutaneous mechanoceptor dysfunction, and alexithymia, particularly the difficulty to identify feelings. The importance of delivering to patients with neuropathic pain personalized care that takes into account not only the neurophysiological aspects but also the aspects of mental functioning is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Isoardo
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital "Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino", Turin, Italy
| | - Stefano Ciullo
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Paolo Titolo
- Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, UOD Reconstructive Microsurgery, Hospital "Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino", Turin, Italy
| | - Elena Fontana
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Bruno Battiston
- Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, UOD Reconstructive Microsurgery, Hospital "Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino", Turin, Italy
| | - Maurizio Stella
- Department of Plastic Surgery Burn Center, Hospital "Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino", Turin, Italy
| | - Nicola Luxardo
- Department of Anesthesia, Intensive Care and Emergency, Unit of Pain Management and Palliative Care, Hospital "Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino", Turin, Italy
| | - Federica Laino
- Department of Anesthesia, Intensive Care and Emergency, Unit of Pain Management and Palliative Care, Hospital "Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino", Turin, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Migliaretti
- Department of Public Health and Paediatric Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Ilaria Stura
- Department of Public Health and Paediatric Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Rita B Ardito
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy.
| | - Mauro Adenzato
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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17
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Beltrán MI, Dijkerman HC, Keizer A. Affective touch experiences across the lifespan: Development of the Tactile Biography questionnaire and the mediating role of attachment style. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0241041. [PMID: 33112898 PMCID: PMC7592771 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The sense of touch develops early in life and becomes a determinant aspect of our personal narratives, providing crucial information about the world around us and playing a prominent role in affective and social interactions. In this study we aimed to explore whether individual differences in touch experiences across the lifespan are related to adult attachment styles and to perceived touch deprivation. For this we first developed an instrument, namely the Tactile Biography, to quantify individual differences in affective touch experiences throughout life. Secondly, we performed a set of regressions models and a mediation analysis to investigate the role of attachment in relation to both the tactile history and perceived touch deprivation. We found that experiences of affective touch during childhood and adolescence seem to be closely associated with adult attachment styles and adult social touch experiences. Avoidant attachment appears to serve as a mediator in the relationship between earlier (childhood/adolescent) and later (adult) affective touch experiences, as well as between earlier affective touch experiences and perceived touch deprivation. These findings offer further support to existing literature, providing novel insights for the fields of social affective touch and attachment research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes I. Beltrán
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - H. Chris Dijkerman
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anouk Keizer
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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18
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Novembre G, Etzi R, Morrison I. Hedonic Responses to Touch are Modulated by the Perceived Attractiveness of the Caresser. Neuroscience 2020; 464:79-89. [PMID: 33075458 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that a specific type of C fiber, the C tactile afferents, are involved in detecting gentle, dynamic tactile stimuli on the skin, giving rise to affective responses in the central nervous system. Despite building on such bottom-up information flow, the hedonic perception and the physiological consequences of affective touch are influenced by various sources of top-down information. In the present study we investigated how perception of affective touch is influenced by the attractiveness of hypothetical caressers. Participants were stroked on the arm and the palm while looking at photos of high attractive and low attractive opposite-gender faces, and were instructed to imagine those people as the caressers. In a control condition no photo was paired with the touch. The stroking stimulation was delivered with a soft brush either on the forearm or on the palm, and either with a slower or faster speed. Participants rated the pleasantness of each stimulation, while electrocardiographic recordings were made to extract heart rate variability data. Results showed that participants preferred touch stimuli paired with high attractive faces; they also preferred palm stroking and slower stroking speed. Like subjective pleasantness ratings, heart rate variability responses to affective touch (slow) were higher for high attractive than for low attractive caressers, but were not selective for arm or palm stroking. Overall, the present study confirms that contextual social information plays a major role in affective touch experiences, influencing not only the hedonic quality of the experience but also the physiological state of the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Novembre
- Linköping University, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Science (BKV), Linköping University, Sweden.
| | - Roberta Etzi
- Linköping University, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Science (BKV), Linköping University, Sweden; University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Psychology, Milan, Italy
| | - India Morrison
- Linköping University, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Science (BKV), Linköping University, Sweden
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The semiotics of the message and the messenger: How nonverbal communication affects fairness perception. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 19:1259-1272. [PMID: 31290016 PMCID: PMC6785596 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-019-00738-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Nonverbal communication determines much of how we perceive explicit, verbal messages. Facial expressions and social touch, for example, influence affinity and conformity. To understand the interaction between nonverbal and verbal information, we studied how the psychophysiological time-course of semiotics—the decoding of the meaning of a message—is altered by interpersonal touch and facial expressions. A virtual-reality-based economic decision-making game, ultimatum, was used to investigate how participants perceived, and responded to, financial offers of variable levels of fairness. In line with previous studies, unfair offers evoked medial frontal negativity (MFN) within the N2 time window, which has been interpreted as reflecting an emotional reaction to violated social norms. Contrary to this emotional interpretation of the MFN, however, nonverbal signals did not modulate the MFN component, only affecting fairness perception during the P3 component. This suggests that the nonverbal context affects the late, but not the early, stage of fairness perception. We discuss the implications of the semiotics of the message and the messenger as a process by which parallel information sources of “who says what” are integrated in reverse order: of the message, then the messenger.
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20
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Sel A, Calvo-Merino B, Tsakiris M, Forster B. The somatotopy of observed emotions. Cortex 2020; 129:11-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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21
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Park MJ, Byun JS, Jung JK, Choi JK. The correlation of gagging threshold with intra-oral tactile and psychometric profiles in healthy subjects: A pilot study. J Oral Rehabil 2020; 47:591-598. [PMID: 32003041 DOI: 10.1111/joor.12940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Excessive gag reflex could be problematic for adequate dental care. Although various factors may increase the susceptibility to gagging, its contributing factors have not been fully determined. This study aimed to determine whether gag reflex was associated with tactile sensitivity and psychological characteristics. Fifteen volunteers of healthy males and females each were recruited for this study. After completing a questionnaire describing the self-perceived gag reflex activity, a disposable saliva ejector was inserted along the palate into the mouth until gagging was evoked. The ratio of the insertion depth to the palatal length was used as an index for the gagging threshold. The two-point discrimination (TPD) and Semmes-Weinstein monofilament (SWM) tests were performed to assess the tactile sensitivity of the palatal regions (hard palate, anterior and posterior soft palate). The Symptom Checklist-90-Revised was used to investigate the relationship between the gagging threshold and the psychological status. Our findings showed that the gagging threshold had a significant positive correlation with the TPD and SWM thresholds on the hard palate. The psychological profiles of psychoticism and hostility score were also significantly correlated with the gagging threshold. However, there were no significant differences in the tactile and gagging thresholds, as well as the psychological profiles, between males and females. Our results suggested that the tactile sensitivity of the anterior palate is a determining factor for the gagging threshold and implied that the initial response of the oral entry site to stimulation may lead to the development of gag reflex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi-Ju Park
- Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Jin-Seok Byun
- Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Jae-Kwang Jung
- Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
| | - Jae-Kap Choi
- Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
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22
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Nguyen T, Zhou T, Potter T, Zou L, Zhang Y. The Cortical Network of Emotion Regulation: Insights From Advanced EEG-fMRI Integration Analysis. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MEDICAL IMAGING 2019; 38:2423-2433. [PMID: 30802854 DOI: 10.1109/tmi.2019.2900978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The ability to perceive and regulate emotion is a key component of cognition that is often disrupted by disease. Current neuroimaging studies regarding emotion regulation have implicated a number of cortical regions and identified several EEG features of interest, including the late positive potential and frontal asymmetry. Unfortunately, currently applied methods generally lack in the resolution necessary to capture focal cortical activity and explore the causal interactions between brain regions. In this paper, electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were simultaneously recorded from 20 subjects undergoing emotion processing and regulation tasks. Cortical activity with high-spatiotemporal resolution and accuracy was reconstructed using a novel multimodal EEG/fMRI integration method. A detailed causal brain network associated with emotion processing and regulation was then identified, and the network changes that facilitate different emotion conditions were investigated. The cortical activity of the ventrolateral prefrontal (VLPFC) and posterior parietal cortices depicted conditionally-sensitive spike and wave patterns evidenced in inter-regional communication. The VLPFC was found to behave as a main network source, with conditionally-specific interactions supporting emotional shifts. The results provide unique insight into the cortical activity that supports emotional perception and regulation, the origins of known EEG phenomena, and the manner in which brain regions coordinate to affect behavior.
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23
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Park W, Jamil MH, Eid M. Neural Activations Associated With Friction Stimulation on Touch-Screen Devices. Front Neurorobot 2019; 13:27. [PMID: 31191286 PMCID: PMC6548853 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2019.00027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tactile sensation largely influences human perception, for instance when using a mobile device or a touch screen. Active touch, which involves tactile and proprioceptive sensing under the control of movement, is the dominant tactile exploration mechanism compared to passive touch (being touched). This paper investigates the role of friction stimulation objectively and quantitatively in active touch tasks, in a real human-computer interaction on a touch-screen device. In this study, 24 participants completed an active touch task involved stroking the virtual strings of a guitar on a touch-screen device while recording the electroencephalography (EEG) signal. Statistically significant differences in beta and gamma oscillations in the middle frontal and parietal areas at the late period of the active touch task are found. Furthermore, stronger beta event-related desynchronization (ERD) and rebound in the presence of friction stimulation in the contralateral parietal area are observed. However, in the ipsilateral parietal area, there is a difference in beta oscillation only at the late period of the motor task. As for implicit emotion communication, a significant increase in emotional responses for valence, arousal, dominance, and satisfaction is observed when the friction stimulation is applied. It is argued that the friction stimulation felt by the participants' fingertip in a touch-screen device further induces cognitive processing compared to the case when no friction stimulation is applied. This study provides objective and quantitative evidence that friction stimulation is able to affect the bottom-up sensation and cognitive processing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mohamad Eid
- Engineering Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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24
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Mayo LM, Lindé J, Olausson H, Heilig M, Morrison I. Putting a good face on touch: Facial expression reflects the affective valence of caress-like touch across modalities. Biol Psychol 2018; 137:83-90. [PMID: 30003943 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Touch plays a central role in interpersonal behavior, especially in its capacity to convey-and induce- changes in affect. Previous research has established that slow, caress-like stroking over the skin elicits positive subjective affective responses, with higher ratings of "pleasantness" compared to a faster-moving touch stimulus. Ratings of pleasantness are associated with increased activity of a distinct class of nerve fibers: C-tactile (CT) afferents. Here, we used facial electromyography (EMG) to determine if touch that optimally activates CT afferents also influences facial muscle activity believed to reflect changes in affect. We found that less pleasant, fast-moving stroking (30 cm/s) elicited robustly negative facial EMG responses, as indexed by stronger contraction of the corrugator muscle. In contrast, pleasant, slow-moving stroking (3 cm/s) that optimally activates CT afferents resulted in decreased negative facial affective responses, manifested as significant corrugator relaxation compared to fast stroking. Moreover, the facial tracking of affective valence during touch was supra-modal, with similar effects during both directly-experienced touch and viewing of touch videos. The results of this EMG study imply that touch that fails to optimally activate CT afferent produces a negative affective response, whereas pleasant, caress-like touch has not only subjective but expressive correlates, reflected in net positive affective changes in facial expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah M Mayo
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Sweden.
| | - Johan Lindé
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Sweden
| | - Håkan Olausson
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Sweden
| | - Markus Heilig
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Sweden
| | - India Morrison
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Sweden
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25
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Cascio CJ, Moore D, McGlone F. Social touch and human development. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2018; 35:5-11. [PMID: 29731417 PMCID: PMC6968965 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2018.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Social touch is a powerful force in human development, shaping social reward, attachment, cognitive, communication, and emotional regulation from infancy and throughout life. In this review, we consider the question of how social touch is defined from both bottom-up and top-down perspectives. In the former category, there is a clear role for the C-touch (CT) system, which constitutes a unique submodality that mediates affective touch and contrasts with discriminative touch. Top-down factors such as culture, personal relationships, setting, gender, and other contextual influences are also important in defining and interpreting social touch. The critical role of social touch throughout the lifespan is considered, with special attention to infancy and young childhood, a time during which social touch and its neural, behavioral, and physiological contingencies contribute to reinforcement-based learning and impact a variety of developmental trajectories. Finally, the role of social touch in an example of disordered development –autism spectrum disorder—is reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carissa J Cascio
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Human Development, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - David Moore
- Liverpool John Moores University, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool, UK
| | - Francis McGlone
- Liverpool John Moores University, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool, UK; University of Liverpool, Institute of Psychology Health & Society, Liverpool, UK
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26
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The approach of visual stimuli influences expectations about stimulus types for subsequent somatosensory stimuli. Exp Brain Res 2018; 236:1563-1571. [DOI: 10.1007/s00221-018-5244-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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