title: Response characteristics of cutaneous mechanoreceptors to vibratory stimuli in human glabrous skin.
abstract: We investigated the responsiveness of mechanoreceptors in the glabrous skin of the hand to triangular vibratory stimuli when the frequency and applied pressure to the skin were varied. Using a microneurographic technique, 13 single afferent activities were recorded from 4 kinds of mechanoreceptors. Both fast-adapting (FA) and slow-adapting (SA) units were sensitive to the vibratory stimuli. The relationship between the most sensitive frequency and applied pressure to the skin were analyzed as a tuning curve. FA-type I (FAI) was sensitive to vibratory stimuli at 30-40 Hz and the frequency which entrained one-to-one discharge at lower pressure was between 10 and 80 Hz. FA-type II (FAII) sensitivity was augmented sharply over 60-100 Hz. SA-type I (SAI) and SA-type II (SAII) responsiveness was almost the same and characteristic sensitivity to the vibratory stimuli was revealed under 15 Hz. Functional roles of these units, especially type I units, are discussed in relation to active touch such as texture discrimination with a finger.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000502:physiology*; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D014732:Vibration