title: Tactile spatial resolution measured manually: a validation study.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of manual application of the grating orientation task (GOT), as currently used in fundamental and clinical research. Six examiners tested 12 subjects following recommendations of the literature. The results show that the normal force applied with the domes on the skin varied from one examiner to the next. Nevertheless, it did not affect the performance of the subjects, whose thresholds were consistent with those reported in the literature. This study highlights the inter-examiner reliability in the manual application of this test and validates this procedure.
authors.affiliation: Unité de réadaptation et de Médecine Physique, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bleyenheuft
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Thonnard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D005385:Fingers / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000502:physiology*; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D015588:Observer Variation; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D010812:Physical Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012682:Sensory Aids; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*; D013236:Stereognosis / Q000502:physiology; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*