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Tactile Sensitivity as a Function of Age
Abstract
To learn whether tactile sensitivity is decreased in elderly adults, we measured touch thresholds on the pad of the index finger in individuals aged 19 to 88 years. Semmes-Weinstein aesthesiometer filaments were used in a forced-choice procedure to eliminate response biases among subjects. Digit temperature and health data were also collected. Tactile thresholds increased significantly with age. A large proportion of elderly individuals had thresholds that were higher than the average for young adults, although older people varied widely in touch sensitivity. Neither reported illness nor medication use was significantly related in tactile threshold.
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“It has been widely demonstrated that tactile sensibility declines with age, as evidenced by increased sensory thresholds (Dyck et al. 1972;Gescheider et al. 1994;Thornbury and Mistretta 1981;Verrillo 1980) and decreased spatial acuity (Manning and Tremblay 2006;Stevens and Choo 1996;Stevens and Patterson 1995;Tremblay et al. 2003;Woodward 1993).”
From Tactile innervation densities across the whole body (2020) · cites this paper as Thornbury and Mistretta 1981
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Metadata
- Authors
- Thornbury, J. M., & Mistretta, C. M.
- Affiliations
- University of New Mexico (US)
- University of Michigan (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Gerontology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 1981-01-01
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 34-39
- ISSN
- 0022-1422 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1978761060
- Cited by
- 246
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 3.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Gerontology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Motor Control and Adaptation
- Keywords
- tactile sensitivity, aging, older adults, index finger, age differences, illness, medication use
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Aging, Female, Fingers, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Sensory Thresholds, Skin Temperature, Touch
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