Neural Mechanisms In Tactile, Kinaesthetic And Pain Sensation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$644,113.00
Summary
Our knowledge of the world around us depends upon our sensory systems which provide a series of windows on the world, enabling the mind and brain to sample information about selected events through the energy forms that impinge upon us. Much of this sensing process takes place through our special sense systems such as the eye, the ear, and the taste and olfactory systems. However, other crucial sensory systems are more generalized throughout the body and are referred to as the somatic sensory sy ....Our knowledge of the world around us depends upon our sensory systems which provide a series of windows on the world, enabling the mind and brain to sample information about selected events through the energy forms that impinge upon us. Much of this sensing process takes place through our special sense systems such as the eye, the ear, and the taste and olfactory systems. However, other crucial sensory systems are more generalized throughout the body and are referred to as the somatic sensory systems. These include our senses of touch, temperature, pain and body position, the last of which is known as our kinaesthetic sense. Our research into the neural mechanisms in sensation and perception is concerned with the tactile, kinaesthetic and pain senses. Although many thousands of nerve fibres travel in the nerves arising from particular regions of the skin or from individual muscles or joints, the sensory nerve fibres that serve these forms of sensation fall into fewer than ten broad classes, made up of five major tactile classes, two or three major kinaesthetic classes, and two broad groups of fibres that mediate pain sensation. However, there is quite striking evidence that when single fibres of these different classes are activated in conscious human subjects, there are marked differences among the fibre classes in their capacity to generate a perceptual response. Under the new NH and MRC grant we propose to examine the transmission and processing of input signals from these fibre classes at the highest levels of the brain, in particular, within the cerebral cortex, in order to reveal the neural mechanisms responsible for their differential perceptual contributions. The proposed analysis will provide fundamental insights into the neural basis for perceptual recognition and will provide information that may be important for our eventual understanding of the disorders of sensory perception that characterize psychiatric conditions such as schizophreniaRead moreRead less
Visceral Sensation In Complicated And Uncomplicated Upper Gastrointestinal Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$66,929.00
Summary
50% of patients with complications of peptic ulcer (bleeding) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (Barrett's Oesophagus) have no symptoms of their diseases. In contrast, 50% of patients who seek treatment for gastrointestinal symptoms are found to have no cause after investigations. The aims of this study are to explore differences in sensation, muscular function and genetic factors between patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders and patients with complicated organic disorders.
InTOUCH: Tactile Assessment In Children With Cerebral Palsy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$176,571.00
Summary
Recent research finds that over 70% of children with unilateral cerebral palsy have impairments in touch function that affect how well they can use their hands. Until now, the severity and extent of this deficit has been unknown, and so children with cerebral palsy have not been receiving touch assessments. This project aims to increase awareness of touch impairments and achieve integration of touch assessment into routine examaination.