Spatial summation effects on lingual vibrotactile thresholds.
Ascending lingual vibrotactile thresholds at 250 Hz were obtained for four groups of normal-speaking adult subjects. Contactor areas were varied for each respective group. Threshold values in microns plotted as a function of the area of vibratory displacement indicated a spatial summation function for the larger contactors (greater than .02 cm2). Findings are discussed in terms of the nature of lingual-tactile mechanoreception and possible implications for neural control mechanisms subserving speech production.
D000200:Action Potentials; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D014059:Tongue / Q000294:innervation*; D014110:Touch; D014732:Vibration