Tactile Sensation

Dorsal Column Medial Lemniscal Tract

• tract for fine touch, vibration, proprioception, and two-point discrimination

Medulla Oblongata

• decussation of DCML Tract

Anterior Spinothalamic Tract

• tract for crude touch and pressure

Lateral Spinothalamic Tract

• Tract for pain and temperature

I/L loss of fine touch and vibration

• damage to dcml leads to

C/L loss of pain and temperature

• damage to spinothalamic tract leads to

Exteroceptive Sensation

• perceived locally by sensory receptors in the skin and mucous membranes

Perception Test

• determines whether sensory receptors are responding to stimuli

Centrally Mediated Sensation

• Brain and Spinal Cord level

• consists of proprioceptive sensation, haptic touch, and cortical sensory function

Joint Posisiton

• position of body part in space with vision occluded

Movement or Kinesthesia

• ability to sense the direction of the joint motion

• adjust and self-correct position to maintain center of gravity

Vibration

• provides stimulation to higher centers

• used to stimulate response of loop or reflex

Haptic or Active Touch

• data gathering type of touch

  • active manual exploration of surfaces and onjects by a moving subhect as opposed to passive contact

• using moving touch as opposed to passive touch

Stereognosis

• identifying objects through touch

Graphesthesia

• identifying figures drawn on skin

Touch Localization

• localize where stimuli is located on the body

• Important for fine discriminatory use

Two-point discrimination

• identify two different stimulus placed on the body

• contributes to localization and spatial discrimination

Aesthesiometer

• assesses two-point discrimination

Semmes-Weinstein Monofilament

• monofilaments of varying thickness

• color codes to correspond to five threshold sections

Weinstein Enhanced Sensory Test

• contains multiple filaments in a single tool

• rotate the instrument and select the appropriate filament size for testing

Moberg Pick-Up Test

• picking up, holding, and identification of day-to-day items

• 10 standard objects of the same temperature and sounds

• tests ability to perceive constant touch, precision grip, and cutaneous feedback

Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Outcome Measure

• questionnaire designed to examine changes in UE motor and sensory function through self-reported activity and participation

Hand Active Sensation Test

• designed to assess the haptic perception for stroke

• evaluates hand as a receptor for the sensory system

• test objects and properties successfully explored with 1 hand and are optimally related to the daily use of the hand during grasp, lift, and release tasks