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Cited by 73Tactile and Sensory InteractionsPain Mechanisms and TreatmentsIon Channels and Receptors

Spinal signalling of C-fiber mediated pleasant touch in humans

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Marshall, Andrew G, Sharma, Manohar L, Marley, Kate, Olausson, Hakan, McGlone, Francis P·2019·eLife
DOI 10.7554/elife.51642PMC PMC6964968

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Abstract

C-tactile afferents form a distinct channel that encodes pleasant tactile stimulation. Prevailing views indicate they project, as with other unmyelinated afferents, in lamina I-spinothalamic pathways. However, we found that spinothalamic ablation in humans, whilst profoundly impairing pain, temperature and itch, had no effect on pleasant touch perception. Only discriminative touch deficits were seen. These findings preclude privileged C-tactile-lamina I-spinothalamic projections and imply integrated hedonic and discriminative spinal processing from the body.

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  • The spinal pathways carrying signals from myelinated Ab and C-tactile fibers are more intertwined than had previously been thought.

    “and that the spinal pathways carrying signals from both types of fibers are more intertwined than had previously been thought (Marshall et al. 2019).”

    From Tactile innervation densities across the whole body (2020) · cites this paper as Marshall et al. 2019

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Marshall, A. G., Sharma, M. L., Marley, K., Olausson, H., & McGlone, F. P.
Affiliations
  • University of Liverpool (GB)
  • Walton Centre (GB)
  • Aintree University Hospital (GB)
  • Specialist Palliative Care Team, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Corresponding author
Marshall, Andrew G
ORCID
Venue
eLife
Publisher
eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
Published
2019-12-24
Volume
8
ISSN
2050-084X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.7554/elife.51642
PMC
PMC6964968
OpenAlex
W2996780529
Cited by
73
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 1
FWCI
6.40
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • eLife (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Liverpool John Moores University (acceptedVersion)
  • DiVA (Linkoping University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Pain Relief Foundation
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Ion Channels and Receptors
Keywords
C-tactile afferents, spinothalamic tract, lamina I, spinal cord, tactile discrimination, hedonic processing, unmyelinated afferents, pruritus, human neuroanatomy
MeSH terms
Afferent Pathways, Aged, Cordotomy, Emotions, Female, Humans, Male, Mechanoreceptors, Middle Aged, Physical Stimulation, Pleasure-Pain Principle, Pruritus, Skin, Spinothalamic Tracts, Touch, Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated, Touch Perception, Pleasure

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