Sensory adaptation to electrical stimulation of the somatosensory nerves
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: Sensory systems adapt their sensitivity to ambient stimulation levels to improve their responsiveness to changes in stimulation. The sense of touch is also subject to adaptation, as evidenced by the desensitization produced by prolonged vibratory stimulation of the skin. Electrical stimulation of nerves elicits tactile sensations that can convey feedback for bionic limbs. In this study, we investigate whether artificial touch is also subject to adaptation, despite the fact that the peripheral mechanotransducers are bypassed. APPROACH: Using well-established psychophysical paradigms, we characterize the time course and magnitude of sensory adaptation caused by extended electrical stimulation of the residual somatosensory nerves in three human amputees implanted with cuff electrodes. MAIN RESULTS: We find that electrical stimulation of the nerve also induces perceptual adaptation that recovers after cessation of the stimulus. The time course and magnitude of electrically-induced adaptation are equivalent to their mechanically-induced counterparts. SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that, in natural touch, the process of mechanotransduction is not required for adaptation, and artificial touch naturally experiences adaptation-induced adjustments of the dynamic range of sensations. Further, as it does for native hands, adaptation confers to bionic hands enhanced sensitivity to changes in stimulation and thus a more natural sensory experience.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
A lack of specificity may contribute to the sensory adaptation reported by other groups during stimulation with cuff electrodes.
“This pattern suggests that a lack of specificity may contribute to the sensory adaptation which has been reported by other groups during stimulation with cuff electrodes [37].”
From Fascicle specific targeting for selective peripheral nerve stimulation (2019) · cites this paper as [37]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Psychophysics: The Fundamentals
Gescheider, G. A. (2015) · Cited by 1,281 · see citing works
Restoring natural sensory feedback in real-time bidirectional hand prostheses
Raspopovic, S., Capogrosso, M., Petrini, F. M., Bonizzato, M., Rigosa, J., Di Pino, G., Carpaneto, J., Controzzi, M., Boretius, T., Fernandez, E., et al. (2014) · Science Translational Medicine · doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.3006820 · Cited by 1,001 · see citing works
Electrotactile and vibrotactile displays for sensory substitution systems
Kaczmarek, K. A., Webster, J. G., Bach-y-Rita, P., & Tompkins, W. J. (1991) · IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering · doi:10.1109/10.68204 · Cited by 827 · see citing works
A neural interface provides long-term stable natural touch perception
Tan, D. W., Schiefer, M. A., Keith, M. W., Anderson, J. R., Tyler, J., & Tyler, D. J. (2014) · Science Translational Medicine · doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.3008669 · Cited by 751 · see citing works
Self-citationAdaptive Rescaling Maximizes Information Transmission
Brenner, N., Bialek, W., & van Steveninck, R. R. D. R. (2000) · Neuron · doi:10.1016/s0896-6273(00)81205-2 · Cited by 650 · see citing works
Oddo, C. M., Raspopović, S., Artoni, F., Mazzoni, A., Spigler, G., Petrini, F. M., Giambattistelli, F., Vecchio, F., Miraglia, F., Zollo, L., et al. (2016) · eLife · doi:10.7554/elife.09148 · Cited by 328 · see citing works
Inference for psychometric functions in the presence of nonstationary behavior
Fründ, I., Haenel, N. V., & Wichmann, F. A. (2011) · Journal of Vision · doi:10.1167/11.6.16 · Cited by 264 · see citing works
The neural basis of perceived intensity in natural and artificial touch
Graczyk, E. L., Schiefer, M. A., Saal, H. P., Delhaye, B. P., Bensmaia, S. J., & Tyler, D. J. (2016) · Science Translational Medicine · doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.aaf5187 · Cited by 258 · see citing works
Self-citationSchiefer, M., Tan, D., Sidek, S. M., & Tyler, D. J. (2016) · Journal of Neural Engineering · doi:10.1088/1741-2560/13/1/016001 · Cited by 255 · see citing works
Self-citationMuniak, M. A., Ray, S., Hsiao, S. S., Dammann, J. F., & Bensmaia, S. J. (2007) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.1486-07.2007 · Cited by 235 · see citing works
Mechanical transmission in a Pacinian corpuscle. An analysis and a theory
Loewenstein, W. R., & Skalak, R. (1966) · The Journal of Physiology · doi:10.1113/jphysiol.1966.sp007827 · Cited by 230 · see citing works
Johnson, K. O. (1974) · Journal of Neurophysiology · doi:10.1152/jn.1974.37.1.48 · Cited by 230 · see citing works
Electrocutaneous Stimulation for Sensory Communication in Rehabilitation Engineering
Szeto, A. Y. J., & Saunders, F. A. (1982) · IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering · doi:10.1109/tbme.1982.324948 · Cited by 224 · see citing works
Iggo, A., & Ogawa, H. (1977) · The Journal of Physiology · doi:10.1113/jphysiol.1977.sp011768 · Cited by 152 · see citing works
Vibratory Adaptation of Cutaneous Mechanoreceptive Afferents
Bensmaı̈a, S. J., Leung, Y. Y., Hsiao, S. S., & Johnson, K. O. (2005) · Journal of Neurophysiology · doi:10.1152/jn.00002.2005 · Cited by 147 · see citing works
Time-Course of Vibratory Adaptation and Recovery in Cutaneous Mechanoreceptive Afferents
Leung, Y. Y., Bensmaı̈a, S. J., Hsiao, S. S., & Johnson, K. O. (2005) · Journal of Neurophysiology · doi:10.1152/jn.00001.2005 · Cited by 107 · see citing works
Time Course and Action Spectrum of Vibrotactile Adaptation
Hollins, M., Goble, A. K., Whitsel, B. L., & Tommerdahl, M. (1990) · Somatosensory & Motor Research · doi:10.3109/08990229009144707 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Neural mechanisms in vibrotactile adaptation
O'Mara, S., Rowe, M. J., & Tarvin, R. P. (1988) · Journal of Neurophysiology · doi:10.1152/jn.1988.59.2.607 · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Effect of prior stimulation on vibrotactile thresholds.
Rt, V., & Gescheider, G. A. (1977) · PubMed · Cited by 83 · see citing works
Adaptation and Recovery in Vibrotactile Perception
Berglund, U., & Berglund, B. (1970) · Perceptual and Motor Skills · doi:10.2466/pms.1970.30.3.843 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
Clark, G. A., Wendelken, S., Page, D. M., Davis, T., Wark, H. A. C., Normann, R. A., Warren, D. J., & Hutchinson, D. T. (2014) · 2014 36th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society · doi:10.1109/embc.2014.6944001 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
Vibrotactile adaptation and recovery measured by two methods.
Hahn, J. F. (1966) · Journal of Experimental Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0023094 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
THE DARK ADAPTATION OF THE HUMAN EYE
Hecht, S. (1920) · The Journal of General Physiology · doi:10.1085/jgp.2.5.499 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Intermittent Stimulation Delays Adaptation to Electrocutaneous Sensory Feedback
Buma, D. G., Buitenweg, J., & Veltink, P. (2007) · IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering · doi:10.1109/tnsre.2007.903942 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Electrotactile adaptation on the abdomen: preliminary results
Kaczmarek, K. A. (2000) · IEEE Transactions on Rehabilitation Engineering · doi:10.1109/86.895953 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Time-dependence of SI RA neuron response to cutaneous flutter stimulation
Whitsel, B. L., Kelly, E. F., Quibrera, M., Tommerdahl, M., Li, Y., Favorov, O. V., Xu, M., & Metz, C. B. (2003) · Somatosensory & Motor Research · doi:10.1080/0899022031000083834 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Gescheider, G. A., & Wright, J. H. (1968) · Journal of Experimental Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0025746 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Vibrotactile adaptation on the face
Hollins, M., Delemos, K. A., & Goble, A. K. (1991) · Perception & Psychophysics · doi:10.3758/bf03211612 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Alteration of human cutaneous afferent discharges as the result of long-lasting vibration
Ribot‐Ciscar, E., Roll, J. P., Tardy-Gervet, M.-F., et al. (1996) · Journal of Applied Physiology · doi:10.1152/jappl.1996.80.5.1708 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Low-frequency vibrotactile adaptation.
Hahn, J. F. (1968) · Journal of Experimental Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0026621 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Fine Structure of the Receptor Organs and its Probable Functional Significance
Cauna, N. (2008) · Novartis Foundation symposium · doi:10.1002/9780470715338.ch7 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
George, J. A., Kluger, D. T., Davis, T. S., Wendelken, S. M., Okorokova, E. V., He, Q., Duncan, C. C., Hutchinson, D. T., Thumser, Z. C., Beckler, D. T., et al. (2019) · Science Robotics · doi:10.1126/scirobotics.aax2352 · Cited by 388 · see citing works
Self-citationSensory feedback for limb prostheses in amputees
Raspopovic, S., Valle, G., & Petrini, F. M. (2021) · Nature Materials · doi:10.1038/s41563-021-00966-9 · Cited by 308 · see citing works
Safety of long-term electrical peripheral nerve stimulation: review of the state of the art
Günter, C., Delbeke, J., & Ortiz-Catalan, M. (2019) · Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation · doi:10.1186/s12984-018-0474-8 · Cited by 198 · see citing works
Charkhkar, H., Shell, C. E., Marasco, P. D., Pinault, G. J., Tyler, D. J., & Triolo, R. J. (2018) · Journal of Neural Engineering · doi:10.1088/1741-2552/aac964 · Cited by 131 · see citing works
Self-citationFascicle specific targeting for selective peripheral nerve stimulation
Overstreet, C. K., Cheng, J., & Keefer, E. W. (2019) · Journal of Neural Engineering · doi:10.1088/1741-2552/ab4370 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
- Authors
- Graczyk, E. L., Delhaye, B. P., Schiefer, M. A., Bensmaia, S. J., & Tyler, D. J.
- Affiliations
- Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center (US)
- University of Chicago (US)
- Corresponding author
- Tyler, Dustin J
- Venue
- Journal of Neural Engineering
- Publisher
- IOP Publishing
- Published
- 2018-05-04
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 046002
- ISSN
- 1741-2552 (ISSN-L)
- 1741-2560
- PMC
- PMC6034502
- OpenAlex
- W2790194079
- Cited by
- 124
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 5
- FWCI
- 7.58
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Neural Engineering (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- DIAL (Catholic University of Leuven) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (C3819C, I01 RX00133401)
- National Science Foundation (DGE-1451075)
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (NC66001-15-C-4041)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Muscle activation and electromyography studies
- Keywords
- sensory adaptation, electrical nerve stimulation, artificial touch, bionic hand, amputees, cuff electrodes, mechanotransduction, tactile perception, dynamic range
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Physiological, Amputees, Electrodes, Implanted, Electric Stimulation Therapy, Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory, Humans, Male, Peripheral Nerves, Touch, Mechanotransduction, Cellular
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
