The somatosensory cortex is the sensory part of the brain that includes all sensations received from the skin and mucous membrane and all sensations received from the hands and joints. Somatosensation, or the feeling of touch, can be felt inside several areas. For example, the mucous membrane, skin, muscles, joints, and cardiovascular system all have a part to play in the process of tactile contact (Miller et al., 2019). Heat, sensitivity to touch, pain, vibrations, and other receptors are among the many in the somatosensory cortex that are responsive to various skin stimulation forms. Although many parts of the body are responsible for the sensation of tactility, the most important processes occur in the cerebral cortex.
Cranial nerves transfer sensory information from the head, including touch, to the brain’s central nervous system. There are 31 spinal nerves in total, 12 of which are in the thoracic region and 8 in the cervical region (Miller et al., 2019). In addition, there are five lumbar nerves, one coccygeal nerve and five sacral nerves. Each spinal neuron has its own sensory and motor components. Dermatome refers to the little area of the body that each spinal neuron innervates or connects (Miller et al., 2019). While the nerve is responsible for the upper and lower parts of the arms, it also works with a small strip of skin just above each bite. The spinal cord communicates with the brain along established pathways. As for pain, unique populations of axons express various forms of pain, for example, in the spinal cord. Consequently, the nervous system encodes these feelings through the active state of cells in the body.
Unmyelinated sensory axons may be intact in a person whose disease has destroyed all myelinated somatosensory axons under the nose. The unmyelinated nerve, however, is responsible for the sensations of heat, pain, and irritation, even if they are not myelinated (Miller et al., 2019). This can have a negative effect on the sensation of touch so that the brain will enjoy the physical pleasure of tactile contact, but the touch itself will not be felt.
When a significant arousal level is detected in the primary somatosensory cortex, only those touch impulses are consciously acknowledged. The somatosensory thalamus sends information to the parietal lobe’s central somatosensory cortex. Two parallel strips in the somatosensory cortex respond predominantly to skin touch in humans (Miller et al., 2019). Another pair of parallel strips react mainly to the movement of joints and muscles and deep pressure. Distinct subareas of the somatosensory cortex respond to different body parts along each strip. The primary somatosensory cortex is just as critical to conscious touch sensations as the primary visual and auditory cortexes are.
In conclusion, the somatosensory cortex is an essential and integral part of the brain to ensure a person’s correct perception of tactile sensations. Naturally, there are many other necessary elements, such as nerves, skin, and other parts of the brain. A person needs to be aware of touch with their brain and feel it on the skin. Each element of the human body is responsible for its area of responsibility, so it is imperative to monitor feelings carefully.
Reference
Miller, L. E., Fabio, C., Ravenda, V., Bahmad, S., Koun, E., Salemme, R., Luauté, J., Bolognini, N., Hayward, V., & Farnè, A. (2019). The somatosensory cortex efficiently processes touch located beyond the body. Current Biology, 29(24), 4276-4283.e5.