Display options
Cite
Liljencrantz J, Olausson H. Tactile C fibers and their contributions to pleasant sensations and to tactile allodynia. Front Behav Neurosci. 2014;8:37doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00037.
Liljencrantz, J., & Olausson, H. (2014). Tactile C fibers and their contributions to pleasant sensations and to tactile allodynia. Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 837. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00037
Liljencrantz, Jaquette, and Olausson, Håkan. "Tactile C fibers and their contributions to pleasant sensations and to tactile allodynia." Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience vol. 8 (2014): 37. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00037
Liljencrantz J, Olausson H. Tactile C fibers and their contributions to pleasant sensations and to tactile allodynia. Front Behav Neurosci. 2014 Mar 06;8:37. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00037. eCollection 2014. PMID: 24639633; PMCID: PMC3944476.
Copy Download .nbib Format: NLM
Share it on

Front Behav Neurosci. 2014 Mar 06;8:37. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00037. eCollection 2014.

Tactile C fibers and their contributions to pleasant sensations and to tactile allodynia.

Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience

Jaquette Liljencrantz, Håkan Olausson

Affiliations

  1. Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg University Gothenburg, Sweden ; Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital Gothenburg, Sweden.

PMID: 24639633 PMCID: PMC3944476 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00037

Abstract

In humans converging evidence indicates that affective aspects of touch are signaled by low threshold mechanoreceptive C tactile (CT) afferents. Analyses of electrophysiological recordings, psychophysical studies in denervated subjects, and functional brain imaging, all indicate that CT primary afferents contribute to pleasant touch and provide an important sensory underpinning of social behavior. Considering both these pleasant and social aspects of gentle skin-to-skin contact, we have put forward a framework within which to consider CT afferent coding properties and pathways-the CT affective touch hypothesis. Recent evidence from studies in mice suggests that CTs, when activated, may have analgesic or anxiolytic effects. However, in neuropathic pain conditions, light touch can elicit unpleasant sensations, so called tactile allodynia. In humans, tactile allodynia is associated with reduced CT mediated hedonic touch processing suggesting loss of the normally analgesic effect of CT signaling. We thus propose that the contribution of CT afferents to tactile allodynia is mainly through a loss of their normally pain inhibiting role.

Keywords: fMRI; psychophysics; social; tactile allodynia; touch; unmyelinated

References

  1. Neurosci Lett. 2011 Apr 15;493(3):92-6 - PubMed
  2. J Physiol. 2010 Jan 1;588(Pt 1):117-24 - PubMed
  3. J Physiol. 1960 Jul;152:337-53 - PubMed
  4. Brain. 2011 Apr;134(Pt 4):1116-26 - PubMed
  5. Cell Rep. 2013 Oct 31;5(2):378-88 - PubMed
  6. J Physiol. 1990 Jul;426:229-40 - PubMed
  7. J Physiol. 1939 Feb 14;95(1):1-28 - PubMed
  8. Exp Brain Res. 1988;72(1):209-14 - PubMed
  9. J Neurophysiol. 2003 Mar;89(3):1567-75 - PubMed
  10. Nat Neurosci. 2002 Sep;5(9):900-4 - PubMed
  11. J Neurophysiol. 1999 Nov;82(5):2641-8 - PubMed
  12. J Physiol. 1992 Apr;449:503-15 - PubMed
  13. J Neurophysiol. 1971 Jan;34(1):116-31 - PubMed
  14. Muscle Nerve. 2006 Jul;34(1):105-7 - PubMed
  15. Exp Brain Res. 2010 Jul;204(3):305-14 - PubMed
  16. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2013 Apr;8(4):378-86 - PubMed
  17. Pain. 1993 May;53(2):169-174 - PubMed
  18. Atten Percept Psychophys. 2011 Feb;73(2):531-50 - PubMed
  19. Pain. 2013 Feb;154(2):227-234 - PubMed
  20. Brain Res. 1993 Nov 19;628(1-2):301-4 - PubMed
  21. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2014 Apr;9(4):470-6 - PubMed
  22. J Physiol. 1992 Mar;448:765-80 - PubMed
  23. J Physiol. 1977 Oct;271(2):549-65 - PubMed
  24. Nat Neurosci. 2009 May;12(5):547-8 - PubMed
  25. Eur J Neurosci. 2012 Jun;35(11):1782-8 - PubMed
  26. Nature. 2009 Dec 3;462(7273):651-5 - PubMed
  27. Nature. 2013 Jan 31;493(7434):669-73 - PubMed
  28. Ann Neurol. 1980 Apr;7(4):354-8 - PubMed
  29. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2010 Feb;34(2):246-59 - PubMed
  30. J Neurosci. 2013 Jan 16;33(3):870-82 - PubMed
  31. J Neurophysiol. 1977 Nov;40(6):1325-38 - PubMed
  32. J Neurosci. 2009 Jul 22;29(29):9314-20 - PubMed
  33. Hum Brain Mapp. 2013 Apr;34(4):914-22 - PubMed
  34. Neuroimage. 2012 Feb 15;59(4):3427-32 - PubMed
  35. J Neurosci. 2003 Sep 24;23(25):8752-8 - PubMed
  36. Exp Brain Res. 2008 Jan;184(1):135-40 - PubMed
  37. Hum Neurobiol. 1987;6(1):27-37 - PubMed
  38. Pain. 1999 Feb;79(2-3):113-9 - PubMed
  39. Acta Neurochir Suppl (Wien). 1993;58:125-30 - PubMed
  40. J Physiol. 2001 Feb 15;531(Pt 1):289-97 - PubMed
  41. J Neurophysiol. 1999 Jun;81(6):2753-63 - PubMed
  42. Pain. 1988 Jan;32(1):89-94 - PubMed
  43. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1975 Sep;38(9):865-73 - PubMed
  44. J Physiol. 2011 Aug 15;589(Pt 16):4065-75 - PubMed
  45. Pain. 1992 Nov;51(2):175-194 - PubMed
  46. Pain. 2004 Jul;110(1-2):461-9 - PubMed
  47. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2002 Aug;3(8):655-66 - PubMed
  48. Pain. 2013 Jun;154(6):897-904 - PubMed
  49. J Physiol. 1957 Dec 31;139(3):385-99 - PubMed

Publication Types