Touch: The Science of the Hand, Heart, and MindThe New York Times bestselling author examines how our sense of touch and emotion are interconnected Johns Hopkins neuroscientist and bestselling author of The Compass of Pleasure David J. Linden presents an engaging and fascinating examination of how the interface between our sense of touch and our emotional responses affects our social interactions as well as our general health and development. Accessible in its wit and clarity, Touch explores scientific advances in the understanding of touch that help explain our sense of self and our experience of the world. From skin to nerves to brain, the organization of the body’s touch circuits powerfully influences our lives—affecting everything from consumer choice to sexual intercourse, tool use to the origins of language, chronic pain to healing. Interpersonal touch is crucial to social bonding and individual development. Linden lucidly explains how sensory and emotional context work together to distinguish between perceptions of what feels good and what feels bad. Linking biology and behavioral science, Linden offers an entertaining and enlightening answer to how we feel in every sense of the word. |
Contents
Praise for Touch | |
Also by David J Linden | |
Dedication | |
THREE The Anatomy of a Caress | |
SEVEN The Itchy and Scratchy Show | |
Common terms and phrases
A-beta fibers activation acuity axons behavior body Braille C-fibers C-tactile fibers called capsaicin caress chemical chili peppers cingulate clitoris cognitive convey cortices density detect dorsal horn dorsal root drugs effects electrical signals emotional experience feel figure finger fingertip free nerve endings gene genetic genital glabrous skin grooming hair hairy skin human infrared innervate ion channel itch sensation itchy Journal of Neuroscience located Meissner's corpuscles Merkel cells Merkel disks mice millimeter molecular nerve endings nerve fibers neural nipple normal Norrbotten orgasm Pacinian corpuscle pathway patients penis periaqueductal gray pleasure posterior insula primary somatosensory cortex produce pups rats receptors response result role Ruffini Ruffini ending SCN9A scratching secondary somatosensory sense sensory nerves sensory neurons sexual sensation social touch spinal cord spinal dorsal horn stimulation structure subjects tactile temperature thalamus tickling tissue touch information touch map touch sensation touch signals TRPA1 TRPM8 TRPV1 vagina vampire bats vibration women