Recent research published in Current Biology reports on proprioception. Subjects had to determine information regarding touch AND location. The posterior parietal cortex was the brain area responsible to determine touch AND location. When magnetic stimulation was used to impair the subject's parietal cortex, the perception of touch or location alone was not decreased. It was only when the subject's were asked to define touch AND location, that the results were impaired.
This information could play a key role in determining how children develop a map of the body in space.
Reference: Part of the brain that tracks limbs in space discovered. Retrieved from the web on 7/26/10 at http://www.physorg.com/news198391893.html.
1 comment:
Brain-mapping is important for diagnostic purposes, too. If the posterior parietal cortex is underdeveloped alongside poor proprioceptive ability....I also want to see more understanding/publication of proprioception - I think too many responses are attributed to tactile dysfunction. Barbara
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