Two-Point Discrimination Test: Determining the Two-Point Threshold
Two-Point Discrimination Test: Determining the Two-Point Threshold
ABSTRACT
The two-point discrimination test of the skin is a simple test of the sensory nerve function. Two-point discrimination measures the individual’s capability to distinguish two points of stimuli presented at the same time. The importance of this study is the ability to tell of two points verses than one that pressing on the skin depends on two things: the concentration of the sensory receptors and the connections that the sensory nerve cells make in the brain. An esthesiometer or caliper; compass-type instrument was used to determine limits of two-point discrimination sensitivity in several skin areas on the subject's forearm, thumb and index finger. The activities involve the touch sense of the skin, which allows us to distinguish different kinds of stimuli upon the surface of the body. By using our touch sense, we discover superficial, deep pressure and sensations we describe as brushing, vibration, flutter, and indentation. For the forearm, it ranged from 12 mm to 35 mm. The thumb, demonstrated discrimination values of 3 mm to 10 mm while the index showed values of 1 mm to 8 mm. The skin is sensitive to temperature and pain, in which we sense with different sets of receptors. These skin senses, along with muscle/joint position awareness or proprioception, make up the somatic senses. The subjects were both men and women aged 18-55. The minimal distance at which two points could be discriminated was measured on a line on the base the forearm, thumb and index finger of the right hand. The two points of the caliper were applied at the same time using the weight of the caliper alone. An age-related decline in the ability to discriminate two points was obvious, but there were no significant differences in ability between men and women. The most observation was the different variation in two-point discrimination sensitivity. The results for the individual variation for both men and women
ABSTRACT
The two-point discrimination test of the skin is a simple test of the sensory nerve function. Two-point discrimination measures the individual’s capability to distinguish two points of stimuli presented at the same time. The importance of this study is the ability to tell of two points verses than one that pressing on the skin depends on two things: the concentration of the sensory receptors and the connections that the sensory nerve cells make in the brain. An esthesiometer or caliper; compass-type instrument was used to determine limits of two-point discrimination sensitivity in several skin areas on the subject's forearm, thumb and index finger. The activities involve the touch sense of the skin, which allows us to distinguish different kinds of stimuli upon the surface of the body. By using our touch sense, we discover superficial, deep pressure and sensations we describe as brushing, vibration, flutter, and indentation. For the forearm, it ranged from 12 mm to 35 mm. The thumb, demonstrated discrimination values of 3 mm to 10 mm while the index showed values of 1 mm to 8 mm. The skin is sensitive to temperature and pain, in which we sense with different sets of receptors. These skin senses, along with muscle/joint position awareness or proprioception, make up the somatic senses. The subjects were both men and women aged 18-55. The minimal distance at which two points could be discriminated was measured on a line on the base the forearm, thumb and index finger of the right hand. The two points of the caliper were applied at the same time using the weight of the caliper alone. An age-related decline in the ability to discriminate two points was obvious, but there were no significant differences in ability between men and women. The most observation was the different variation in two-point discrimination sensitivity. The results for the individual variation for both men and women
References: www.eeob.iastate.edu/faculty/DrewesC/htdocs/WEBTouch-TempMS.doc http://www.physther.net/content/62/7/965.full.pdf