Asymmetry in two-point discrimination on the tongues of adults and children.
Previous studies have shown that some adults have better discrimination for two-point perception on one side of the tongue than on the other. This has been referred to as asymmetry in lingual two-point discrimination. No data are available regarding lingual asymmetries in children. As perceptual differences frequently occur between children and adults, lingual two-point discrimination was measured in children and in adults. Whereas all children showed symmetrical patterns of lingual two-point discrimination, 8 of 15 adults showed asymmetrical patterns. Differences between adults and children appear to be related to the development of the central nervous system rather than to the change in peripheral sensory mechanisms.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology*; D014059:Tongue / Q000502:physiology*