1. What are discriminative and non discriminative touch? Which tract(s) carry th
ID: 3518326 • Letter: 1
Question
1. What are discriminative and non discriminative touch? Which tract(s) carry theses stimuli?2.What are the key structural and functional differences between the posterior columns and the anterolateral system?
1. What are discriminative and non discriminative touch? Which tract(s) carry theses stimuli?
2.What are the key structural and functional differences between the posterior columns and the anterolateral system?
2.What are the key structural and functional differences between the posterior columns and the anterolateral system? 2.What are the key structural and functional differences between the posterior columns and the anterolateral system?
Explanation / Answer
Answer 1.
Touch is a sensation originating in the skin as a result of contact between skin and object. Technically, skin is having numerous pressure receptors which sense the pressure applied against skin, may it be in form of someone or something actually touching you or due to sudden change in pressure around you (such as vibrations or wind). There are two type of models when we talk about touch sensations.
1. Discriminative touch (Fine touch)
2. Non-discriminative touch (crude touch)
Fine touch is one which you can feel as well as you are able to localise it on you body (i.e. where it is felt or originated). Fine touch is generated by the activation of posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway.
Crude touch on the other hand is one which a person is able to feel but is not able to localise it (i.e. person is not able to locate the position where stimulus was applied). Spinothalamic tract is responsible to generate the sensation of crude touch.
Answer 2.
Posterior column is a region of white matter located in middle to posterior side of spinal cord. It is a part of posterior fasciculus and is composed of gracile fasciculus and cuneate fasciculus. It is a part of posterior column- medial lemniscus pathway and is essentially responsible for discriminative or fine touch.
Anterolateral system is also known as spinothalamic tract (or ventrolateral system. It consists of two adjacent patways, anterior and lateral. Anterior spinothalamic track is responsible to relay information of crude or non-discriminative touch to thalamus. Lateral spinothalamic tract is responsible for the sensation of pain and temperature.
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