Lab Report On Sensory Threshold

Lab report on Sensory Threshold In this lab the purpose is to test the sensory threshold of a human body. To say it in terms that are easier to understand, we are testing how accurate certain points are on a body with response to touch. We are using three points on the body, the forearm, palm, and index finger. With these three points we will be testing to see how sensitive each point on the body is by measuring the distance of which we can feel one or two points. The part of the brain that allows us to feel, the somatosensory cortex, is mapped out in relation to which parts of the body it processes its touch. Parts of our bodies have different densities of pressure receptors, the densities of these receptors correlates to the amount of brain tissue devoted to processing the somatosensory information. The face for example has a high densities of pressure therefor the somatosensory cortex has a large amount of area for the face, compared to the leg that doesn't have as much pressure receptors, and therefore uses a small area of the somatosensory cortex. (See illustration Fig. 511) With this information about how touch relates to the somatosensory cortex I expect that the index finger will be the point where we are the most sensitive then the palm followed by the forearm. The index finger should be able to detect the smallest distance between pokers than the palm or the forearm.

To test the threshold of the human body we took a divider with two sharp points on the end of it. With the pointer we were able to set it to different measurements. We used measurements from .25 centimeters to 4 centimeters with an increment of .25 centimeters. After me measured the distanced out we taped the individual with the point, set to a certain distance, on either ; the forearm, palm, or index finger. The individual then had to decide wether we poke them with ether one or two points. Every once and a while we would tap the individual with one point so that they wouldn't be able to