title: Somatosensory function in old age.
abstract: Sensory decline is viewed as an inevitable consequence of the ageing process. However, reports of declines have not been a consistent finding across the sensory systems. Reports from psychophysical studies indicate that the most common declines with ageing are in vision and audition and, to a lesser degree, olfaction and gustation. Findings for the somatosensory system (mechanoreception, warming and cooling thermoreception and pain) are less conclusive. Factors that contribute to individual differences in sensory ratings beyond chronological ageing include stimulus factors including stimulus type and body location, response measures and instructions, systemic disease that may affect the peripheral or central nervous system and environmental factors that may affect the skin integrity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and Claude D. Pepper Center on Oral Health in Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: M W
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2668-2391
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Heft
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical & Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D017288:Pain Threshold; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D020886:Somatosensory Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology
keywords: cooling; pain; sensory ageing; somatosensory; touch; warming