Skin perception - two-point threshold

Question 1

What is the two point threshold test?

Answer 1

A test to determine the relative tactile acuity of a given region

Question 2

How is it performed?

Answer 2

By a caliper with two spikes and by adjusting the distance between them –> you can determine the minimal distance at which the two points can be recognized.

Question 3

What is the range of distance between receptive fields in the body?

Answer 3

2mm in fingertips –> 48mm in the poorly discriminative field of the leg

Question 4

What does the distance between receptive fields in fingertips enable?

Answer 4

Enables us to read Braille (dots are spaced 2,5 mm apart)

Question 5

How manz tactile mechanoreceptors are present in the fingertips and palms of a human?

Answer 5

estimated 17000

Question 6

What is innervation density?

Answer 6

The distorted cortical representation of various bodies –> more cortical space is alotted for sensory reception from areas with smaller receptive fields

Question 7

Skin sensitivity is given by?

Answer 7

the density of tactile receptors

Question 8

What is the average density of tactile receptors?

Answer 8

25/1 cm2

Question 9

Which area has the highest density of tactile receptors?

Answer 9

Face and fingertips –> 100 - 130/1 cm2