Parianen Lesemann Franca H, Reuter Eva-Maria, Godde Ben
Department of Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; Jacobs Center on Lifelong Learning and Institutional Development, Jacobs University Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
Jacobs Center on Lifelong Learning and Institutional Development, Jacobs University Bremen, Bremen, Germany; Institute of Sport science, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2015 Apr;51:126-37. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.01.005. Epub 2015 Jan 15.
The pure exposure to extensive tactile stimulation, without the requirement of attention or active training, has been revealed to enhance sensorimotor functioning presumably due to an induction of plasticity in the somatosensory cortex. The induced effects, including increased tactile acuity and manual dexterity have repeatedly been observed in basic as well as clinical research. However, results vary greatly in respect to the strength and direction of the effects on the behavioral and on the brain level. Multiple evidences show that differences in the stimulation protocols (e.g., two vs. multiple stimulation sites) and parameters (e.g., duration, frequency, and amplitude) might contribute to this variability of effects. Nevertheless, stimulation protocols have not been comprehensively compared yet. Identifying favorable parameters for tactile stimulation interventions is especially important because of its possible application as a treatment option for patients suffering from sensory loss, maladaptive plasticity, or certain forms of motor impairment. This review aims to compare the effects of different tactile stimulation protocols and to assess possible implications for tactile interventions. Our goal is to identify ways of optimizing stimulation protocols to improve sensorimotor performance. To this end, we reviewed research on tactile stimulation in the healthy population, with a focus on the effectiveness of the applied parameters regarding psychophysiological measures. We discuss the association of stimulation-induced changes on the behavioral level with alterations in neural representations and response characteristics.
研究表明，单纯暴露于广泛的触觉刺激中，无需注意力或主动训练，可能会增强感觉运动功能，这大概是由于躯体感觉皮层可塑性的诱导。在基础研究和临床研究中，已经反复观察到诱导效应，包括触觉敏锐度和手部灵活性的提高。然而，关于对行为和大脑水平的影响的强度和方向，结果差异很大。多项证据表明，刺激方案（例如，两个与多个刺激部位）和参数（例如，持续时间、频率和幅度）的差异可能导致这种效应的变异性。然而，尚未对刺激方案进行全面比较。确定触觉刺激干预的有利参数尤为重要，因为它可能作为感觉丧失、适应性不良可塑性或某些形式运动障碍患者的治疗选择。本综述旨在比较不同触觉刺激方案的效果，并评估对触觉干预的可能影响。我们的目标是确定优化刺激方案以改善感觉运动性能的方法。为此，我们回顾了健康人群中触觉刺激的研究，重点是应用参数对心理生理测量的有效性。我们讨论了行为水平上刺激引起的变化与神经表征和反应特征改变之间的关联。
