TLDR Young adults have about 230,000 tactile nerve fibers, decreasing 5-8% per decade with age.
The study estimated that the skin of young adults is innervated by approximately 230,000 tactile afferent fibers, with a plausible range of 200,000–270,000, and noted a 5–8% decrease per decade due to aging. It found that 15% of these fibers innervate the palmar skin of the hands and 19% the region around the face and lips. The distribution of slowly and fast-adapting fibers varied by skin region. Innervation density correlated with psychophysical spatial acuity and, on hairy skin, with hair follicle density. However, it only weakly correlated with the size of the cortical somatotopic representation, not fully explaining the magnification of the hands and face.
63 citations
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February 2010 in “Journal of Neurophysiology” Microstimulation of certain facial and mouth nerves can evoke specific sensations, while deeper nerves may require multiple stimulations to affect perception.
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April 2020 in “bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)” The skin has about 230,000 touch-sensitive nerve fibers, with high concentrations in the hands and face.
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September 2021 in “Experimental Brain Research” Rats have different touch receptors in their paws that help with movement and handling objects.
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February 2019 in “eLife” BMP signaling is essential for the development of touch domes.
107 citations
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December 2013 in “International Journal of Dermatology” The document concludes that hair is complex, with a detailed growth cycle, structure, and clinical importance, affecting various scientific and medical fields.
August 2022 in “bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)” Mouse touch-sensitive nerve cells adjust their connections based on competition with other similar cells.
