NERVOUS SYSTEM

SENSORY LAB
EXPERIMENT 1 :SENSATION

VENUE: PHYSIOLOGY DRY LAB/ 1 subject per group

GIO: Understand the different features of sensation

MATERIALS: pins, cork, coin, stamp imprint

PROCEDURE:
1. With the subject’s eyes closed, the point of a needle is lightly pressed against various spots (at least
100 spots) on a 2 sq. cm. of the volar surface of the arm. Uniform pressure should be used in all trials
and one way of doing this is to insert the needle through the eraser of a pencil or cork. The subject
should report any sensation he feels such as pain, touch, cold, etc. Record your results on a diagram
using the stamp imprint on your data sheet similar to the one below:

Example:

Legend:  - pain
X - touch
 - cold
 - tickle

What accounts for the differences in sensations? What basic principle/s of sensory
physiology is/are involved here?
2. With subject’s eyes closed, place an object such as cork on the skin of the forearm for 1-2 minutes.
Does the initial sensation of touch or pressure continue unaltered? Explain.
3. Blindfold the subject with a handkerchief. Ask another group member to warm a coin with his/her
hands so temperature would not play a significant role in the results.
a. With the subject blindfolded , ask the subject to touch a coin with his/her THUMB, INDEX , and
MIDDLE FINGERS and ask him/her to describe its shape. Let him/her hold the coin with his/her
fingers for another 2 minutes. Does the initial sensation of touch or pressure continue
unaltered? Explain.
b. With the same subject still blindfolded, another group member will place the coin on the volar
surface of the forearm, along the crease opposite the elbow. Let the subject flex the forearm,
squeezing lightly against the coin. Ask the subject to retain this position for another two
minutes. Can the subject accurately describe the shape of the coin in this manner? Does the
initial sensation of touch or pressure continue unaltered? Explain.
c. Discuss your results in (a) and (b) in relation to the type and density of skin receptors found on
your fingertips and on the volar surface of the forearm. Discuss concept of stereognosis in
relation to your results.

Activity Guidelines: Tabulate your results, make a graphical representation of your data when applicable
(especiallyfor No. 1). Relate your results with principles of sensory physiology.
 NERVOUS SYSTEM
SENSORY LAB EXPERIMENT 2:
TWO-POINT TOUCH THRESHOLD

VENUE: PHYSIOLOGY DRY LAB (1 subject per group)

GIO: Measure cutaneous acuity (measured by determining how close two points applied to the skin can be
and still be felt as two distinct points)

MATERIALS/APPARATUS: two-point aesthesiometer, blindfold

PROCEDURE:

Blindfold subject. Test for the two-point threshold on six (6) areas of different sensitivity as suggested
by the table given below (Results). Note: apply aesthesiometer gently to prevent the skin from getting irritated.

Begin with the ascending series: Start with a setting where the two tips of the aesthesiometer are
touching each other, and at which subject reports feeling only one point, begin an ascending series for each of
the six areas of the body.. Increase the distance by 1 mm, applying the aesthesiometer again on the same site,
testing for the response. Report the minimum distance at which the subject reports two points (the two-point
threshold). This should be repeated 3 times for each site indicated below. Tabulate your results in a manner
similar to the one below.
Do the descending series: Setting the points of the aesthesiometer at about 3 mm wider than the
expected threshold (based on results from ascending series), apply aesthesiometer gently to skin. Ask subject
if he feels one or two points. If he replies – “two”, then reduce the point-to-point distance by 1 mm and repeat.
Continue this descending series until subject reports feeling only one point. The two-point threshold for the
descending series is a distance just above this; increase the distance by about 0.5 to 1 mm until the subject
feels two points again. This should be repeated three times. Tabulate your results in a manner similar to the
one below.

RESULTS:
Record your results in the following manner:

TWO-POINT THRESHOLD

Ascending Series (mm)

Sites X1 X2 X3 Xmean
Fingertips
Palm
Forearm (inner)
Back of the neck
Scapular region
Kneecap region

Make a graphical presentation of the mean values for each site tested, one for the ascending series and
another for the descending series. Compare your results with other groups (during the mega-group
presentations during the Lab discussion).

QUESTION:
Discuss your results. What accounts for differences in two-point thresholds in various parts of the body?