Uta Sailer1, Chantal Triscoli2, Gisela Häggblad3, Paul Hamilton4, Håkan Olausson5, Ilona Croy6. 1. Dept. of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Dept. of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: uta.sailer@medisin.uio.no. 2. Dept. of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Dept. of Clinical Neurophysiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden. 3. Dept. of Pedagogical, Curricular and Professional Studies, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. 4. Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. 5. Dept. of Clinical Neurophysiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. 6. Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine, Technical University of Dresden, Germany.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Touch is important for individuals' subjective well-being, is typically rewarding, and is one of few sensory stimuli which are experienced as pleasant for a rather long time. This study tracked brain activation during slow stroking stimulation of the arm that was applied continuously for 40min - a much longer time than what previous studies have investigated. METHODS: 25 subjects were stroked for 40min with a soft brush while they were scanned with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and rated the perceived pleasantness of the brush stroking. Two resting baselines were included. Whole brain-based analyses investigated the neural response to long-lasting stroking. RESULTS: Stroking was perceived as pleasant throughout scanning and activated areas that were previously found to be involved in the processing of pleasant touch. Activation in primary somatosensory cortex (S1) and S2, subdivision OP1, decreased over time, whereas activation in orbito-frontal gyrus (OFC) and putamen strongly increased until reaching a plateau after approximately 20min. Similarly, functional connectivity of posterior insula with middle cingulate and striatal regions increased over time. DISCUSSION: Long-lasting stroking was processed in similar areas as shorter-lasting stroking. The decreased activation in somatosensory cortices over time may represent stimulus habituation, whereas increased activation in OFC and putamen may relate to the stimulation's subjective reward value. This involvement of reward-related brain circuits can facilitate maintenance of long-lasting social touch interactions.
INTRODUCTION: Touch is important for individuals' subjective well-being, is typically rewarding, and is one of few sensory stimuli which are experienced as pleasant for a rather long time. This study tracked brain activation during slow stroking stimulation of the arm that was applied continuously for 40min - a much longer time than what previous studies have investigated. METHODS: 25 subjects were stroked for 40min with a soft brush while they were scanned with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and rated the perceived pleasantness of the brush stroking. Two resting baselines were included. Whole brain-based analyses investigated the neural response to long-lasting stroking. RESULTS: Stroking was perceived as pleasant throughout scanning and activated areas that were previously found to be involved in the processing of pleasant touch. Activation in primary somatosensory cortex (S1) and S2, subdivision OP1, decreased over time, whereas activation in orbito-frontal gyrus (OFC) and putamen strongly increased until reaching a plateau after approximately 20min. Similarly, functional connectivity of posterior insula with middle cingulate and striatal regions increased over time. DISCUSSION: Long-lasting stroking was processed in similar areas as shorter-lasting stroking. The decreased activation in somatosensory cortices over time may represent stimulus habituation, whereas increased activation in OFC and putamen may relate to the stimulation's subjective reward value. This involvement of reward-related brain circuits can facilitate maintenance of long-lasting social touch interactions.
Authors: Oliver G Bosch; Fabrizio Esposito; Michael M Havranek; Dario Dornbierer; Robin von Rotz; Philipp Staempfli; Boris B Quednow; Erich Seifritz Journal: Neuropsychopharmacology Date: 2017-05-31 Impact factor: 7.853
Authors: Larissa L Meijer; Carla Ruis; Maarten J van der Smagt; Erik J A Scherder; H Chris Dijkerman Journal: J Neuropsychol Date: 2021-05-12 Impact factor: 2.276
Authors: Kathrin Habig; Anne Schänzer; Wolfgang Schirner; Gothje Lautenschläger; Benjamin Dassinger; Håkan Olausson; Frank Birklein; Elke R Gizewski; Heidrun H Krämer Journal: BMC Neurol Date: 2017-09-15 Impact factor: 2.474