Title: Evaluation of sensation in hands area in patients with multiple sclerosis Objective: Summarize findings about multiple sclerosis and sensation in the hands area. Find suitable testing methods and use them to evaluate the quality of deep sensation in the hands area in patients with multiple sclerosis. Method: With help of selected tests to evaluate the quality of deep sensation in the fingers and palms area in selected probands with multiple sclerosis. Compare the results depending on the current spasticity and condition of the patient. Results: There were founded, that in people with multiple sclerosis the quality of vibrating and discriminating sensation and stereognosis in the hands area is reduced. The quality of statesthesia, kinesthesia, vibrating and discriminating sensation isn't directly linearly dependent on the current spasticity. The quality of stereognosis is directly linearly dependent on the current spasticity. Keywords: sensation, multiple sclerosis, spasticity

Title: The comparison of stereognosis and pallesthesia of the preferred and non-preferred upper extremity in students of physiotherapy Objectives: To the objectives of the work belong the processing and compilation of information concerning laterality and sensation in the region of the upper extremities, then to evaluate the preference of the upper extremity by means of elected tests in 30 students of physiotherapy and to evaluate, whether the sensitivity of stereognosis and pallesthesia is higher in the region of the non- preferred upper extremity than in the region of the preferred upper extremity or whether the sensitivity of stereognosis and pallesthesia both of the upper extremities do not differ. Methods: The tasks of the work were dealt with four tests directed to the examination of preference, stereognosis and pallesthesia in the region of upper extremities. The statistic analysis of the results of the examination was carried out by means of paired t-test. Results: In the examination of pallesthesia in the region of processus styloideus radii and in the examination of stereognosis the null-hypothesis, that the sensitivity of pallesthesia / stereognosis examined by selected test in the region of preferred and non-preferred upper extremity in students of physiotherapy does not differ, was at...

We attempted to identify the psychobiological mechanisms that mediate the process by which the sensation seeking trait culminates in behavior. We used the Sensation Seeking Scales to assess the SS trait in individuals who expressed a desire to skydive. We obtained measures of autonomic (heart rate) and endocrine (salivary cortisol) activity before, during and after skydiving. To distinguish the contribution of novelty, we compared novices (N=29) to experienced jumpers (N=15). All jumpers exhibited HPA-axis activation; novices exhibited a prolonged response and more extreme peak in cortisol compared to experienced jumpers, suggesting that novelty contributes to an intense pattern of stress responding. Both groups displayed increases in heart rate; there were no significant differences between the groups, indicating that repeated exposure to the stressor did not habituate this system. We provided evidence that the stress response systems instantiate novelty and risk to motivate and reward behavioral expressions of the SS trait.

The purpose of this study is to examine if testosterone shows reactivity to skydiving and to examine whether the testosterone level and reactivity was associated with sex and sensation seeking trait of the participants. Testosterone is an important steroid hormone which has several biological and socio-behavioral effects on people and is also present in disproportionate amounts in males and females; thus, it is important to explore how this hormone acts in different sex. Furthermore, exploring the relationship between sensation-seeking and testosterone could provide insight into the relation between psychological factor and hormonal response in humans. Forty-four people were recruited to participate in the study. The sample comprised of 73% males (N=32) and 27% females (N=12) with a mean age of 24 years (SD = 4.6) and an age range of 18 to 49. The participants volunteered to jump out of an airplane and give saliva samples at different time points during that day and during another day (basal levels). This study found that testosterone shows reactivity in response to skydiving, where the peak levels in males were higher than in females. It also found that people who scored higher in experience-seeking scores had higher testosterone level at jump than people who scored lower. Furthermore, it also revealed that people who scored higher in intension-seeking scores showed more reactivity in terms of testosterone i.e. the rise was steeper in these people. In summary, we see that psychological factors and sex predicted reactivity and peak level of testosterone after skydiving.

A análise da integração sensório-motora em crianças com hemiparesia é necessária para a escolha de estratégias terapêuticas eficientes para a recuperação da funcionalidade. Os objetivos deste estudo foram: i) comparar três instrumentos de avaliação da sensibilidade tátil; ii) descrever as alterações da sensibilidade tátil em crianças com hemiparesia. O Grupo Estudo (GE) foi composto por 11 crianças hemiparéticas, de ambos os gêneros, Sistema de Classificação da Função Motora Grossa (GMFCS)= 1 ou 2 (idade = 9,1 anos + 2,1), e o Grupo Controle (GC) por 24 crianças sem alterações sensoriais ou motoras (idade = 8,8 anos + 1,4). A comparação da sensibilidade tátil foi feita com a Avaliação Sensorial de Nottingham (ASN), o teste de discriminação entre dois pontos (D2P) e o teste de estereognosia. Os resultados foram submetidos à ANOVA e ao post hoc de Duncan para comparar as variáveis paramétricas e o Mann-Whitney U e o Wilcoxon matched pairs para as não paramétricas. Adotou-se = 0,05 para diferenças significativas e 0,05 < < 0,10 para as diferenças marginalmente significativas. A ASN revelou diminuição da sensibilidade tátil no GE tanto no lado hemiparético (p<0,01) quanto no preservado (p<0, 01); e diminuição da resolução espacial apenas no lado hemiparético (p=0,01). O teste de D2P foi capaz de detectar a diminuição da resolução espacial na palma de ambas as mãos da criança hemiparética (p<0,01). Mesmo que a precisão em identificar objetos, detectada pela estereognosia, esteja intacta nas crianças hemiparéticas, elas levaram mais tempo para completar a tarefa com a mão acometida quando comparada à mão preservada (p<0,01) e ao GC (p=0,03). Apesar de a ASN ter revelado alterações táteis em ambos os dimídios da criança hemiparética, o teste de D2P foi mais sensível para detectar as alterações na resolução espacial da informação tátil. A percepção, avaliada pelo teste da estereognosia, mostrou-se preservada apesar de as crianças hemiparéticas terem levado mais tempo para completar a tarefa com a mão acometida, o que pode estar relacionado a problemas motores / The analysis of sensorimotor integration in children with hemiparesis is necessary for choosing of efficient therapeutic strategies to functionality recovery. The objectives of this study were: i) to compare three instruments of tactile sensibility assessment; ii) to describe the alterations of tactile sensibility in children with hemiparesis. The Study Group (SG) had 11 boys and girls with hemiparesis, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) = 1 or 2 (age = 9,1 years + 2,1) and the Control Group (CG) had 24 children without motor or sensorial alterations (age = 8,8 years + 1,4). The comparison of tactile sensibility was done with the Nottingham Sensory Assessment of (NSA), the two-point discrimination test (2PD) and the six-object stereognosis test. The results were submitted to ANOVA and Duncan´s test to compare the parametric variables and the Mann-Whitney U, and the Wilcoxon matched pairs were used for the non-parametric variables. = 0,05 was considered significant difference and 0,05 < < 0,10 was considered marginally significant. The NSA showed a reduction on tactile sensibility in SG in the hemiparetic side (p<0,01) and in the non-affected side (p<0,01); and a decrease in spatial resolution only in the hemiparetic side. The 2PD was capable of detecting the impairment of spatial resolution in the palm of both hands of the children with hemiparesis (p<0,01). Although the precision on identifying objects is intact in children with hemiparesis, they took more time to complete the stereognosis test with the affected hand when compared with their non-affected hand (p<0,01) and when compared with the CG (p=0,03). In spite of the fact that the NSA had indicated tactile alteration in both sides of children with hemiparesis, the 2PD was more sensitive to detect problems of the spatial resolution of tactile information. The perception assessed by six-object stereognosis test was preserved in children with hemiparesis, although they had taken more time to finish the task with the affected hand. This result can be related to motor problems

A análise da integração sensório-motora em crianças com hemiparesia é necessária para a escolha de estratégias terapêuticas eficientes para a recuperação da funcionalidade. Os objetivos deste estudo foram: i) comparar três instrumentos de avaliação da sensibilidade tátil; ii) descrever as alterações da sensibilidade tátil em crianças com hemiparesia. O Grupo Estudo (GE) foi composto por 11 crianças hemiparéticas, de ambos os gêneros, Sistema de Classificação da Função Motora Grossa (GMFCS)= 1 ou 2 (idade = 9,1 anos + 2,1), e o Grupo Controle (GC) por 24 crianças sem alterações sensoriais ou motoras (idade = 8,8 anos + 1,4). A comparação da sensibilidade tátil foi feita com a Avaliação Sensorial de Nottingham (ASN), o teste de discriminação entre dois pontos (D2P) e o teste de estereognosia. Os resultados foram submetidos à ANOVA e ao post hoc de Duncan para comparar as variáveis paramétricas e o Mann-Whitney U e o Wilcoxon matched pairs para as não paramétricas. Adotou-se = 0,05 para diferenças significativas e 0,05 < < 0,10 para as diferenças marginalmente significativas. A ASN revelou diminuição da sensibilidade tátil no GE tanto no lado hemiparético (p<0,01) quanto no preservado (p<0, 01); e diminuição da resolução espacial apenas no lado hemiparético (p=0,01). O teste de D2P foi capaz de detectar a diminuição da resolução espacial na palma de ambas as mãos da criança hemiparética (p<0,01). Mesmo que a precisão em identificar objetos, detectada pela estereognosia, esteja intacta nas crianças hemiparéticas, elas levaram mais tempo para completar a tarefa com a mão acometida quando comparada à mão preservada (p<0,01) e ao GC (p=0,03). Apesar de a ASN ter revelado alterações táteis em ambos os dimídios da criança hemiparética, o teste de D2P foi mais sensível para detectar as alterações na resolução espacial da informação tátil. A percepção, avaliada pelo teste da estereognosia, mostrou-se preservada apesar de as crianças hemiparéticas terem levado mais tempo para completar a tarefa com a mão acometida, o que pode estar relacionado a problemas motores / The analysis of sensorimotor integration in children with hemiparesis is necessary for choosing of efficient therapeutic strategies to functionality recovery. The objectives of this study were: i) to compare three instruments of tactile sensibility assessment; ii) to describe the alterations of tactile sensibility in children with hemiparesis. The Study Group (SG) had 11 boys and girls with hemiparesis, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) = 1 or 2 (age = 9,1 years + 2,1) and the Control Group (CG) had 24 children without motor or sensorial alterations (age = 8,8 years + 1,4). The comparison of tactile sensibility was done with the Nottingham Sensory Assessment of (NSA), the two-point discrimination test (2PD) and the six-object stereognosis test. The results were submitted to ANOVA and Duncan´s test to compare the parametric variables and the Mann-Whitney U, and the Wilcoxon matched pairs were used for the non-parametric variables. = 0,05 was considered significant difference and 0,05 < < 0,10 was considered marginally significant. The NSA showed a reduction on tactile sensibility in SG in the hemiparetic side (p<0,01) and in the non-affected side (p<0,01); and a decrease in spatial resolution only in the hemiparetic side. The 2PD was capable of detecting the impairment of spatial resolution in the palm of both hands of the children with hemiparesis (p<0,01). Although the precision on identifying objects is intact in children with hemiparesis, they took more time to complete the stereognosis test with the affected hand when compared with their non-affected hand (p<0,01) and when compared with the CG (p=0,03). In spite of the fact that the NSA had indicated tactile alteration in both sides of children with hemiparesis, the 2PD was more sensitive to detect problems of the spatial resolution of tactile information. The perception assessed by six-object stereognosis test was preserved in children with hemiparesis, although they had taken more time to finish the task with the affected hand. This result can be related to motor problems

Ka Keung Caramon Lee. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 100-105). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Contents --- p.iii / List of Figures --- p.vi / List of Tables --- p.ix / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Motivation --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Related Work --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Empirical Psychophysical Equations --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Industry Standards --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Fuzzy Logic --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.4 --- Neural Networks --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- Organization of Thesis --- p.7 / Chapter 2 --- Experimental Design --- p.9 / Chapter 2.1 --- Human Motion Sense --- p.9 / Chapter 2.2 --- Full-Body Motion Virtual Reality System --- p.12 / Chapter 2.3 --- Human Sensation Measure --- p.15 / Chapter 2.4 --- Trajectory Segmentation --- p.16 / Chapter 3 --- Learning and Validation of Human Sensation Models --- p.22 / Chapter 3.1 --- Cascade Neural Networks --- p.23 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Dynamic Mapping --- p.26 / Chapter 3.2 --- Experimental Trajectory Data --- p.26 / Chapter 3.3 --- Effect of Trajectory Segmentation --- p.31 / Chapter 3.4 --- Model Validation --- p.32 / Chapter 3.5 --- Similarity Measure --- p.33 / Chapter 3.6 --- Similarity Measure Results --- p.38 / Chapter 4 --- Input Reduction for Human Sensation Modeling --- p.40 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.40 / Chapter 4.2 --- Input Reduction --- p.41 / Chapter 4.3 --- Feature Extraction and Input Selection --- p.42 / Chapter 4.4 --- Feature Extraction Using Principal Component Analysis --- p.44 / Chapter 4.5 --- Independent Component Analysis --- p.48 / Chapter 4.5.1 --- Measure of Gaussianity --- p.50 / Chapter 4.5.2 --- The Fixed Point ICA Algorithm --- p.51 / Chapter 4.6 --- Input Reduction Using Independent Component Analysis --- p.52 / Chapter 4.6.1 --- ICA Without Dimension Reduction --- p.52 / Chapter 4.6.2 --- Feature Extraction Using ICA --- p.55 / Chapter 4.6.3 --- Input Selection Using ICA --- p.57 / Chapter 4.6.4 --- Applying Input Selection by ICA on the Furnace Data --- p.58 / Chapter 4.6.5 --- Applying Input Selection by ICA to Sensation Modeling --- p.65 / Chapter 4.6.6 --- Cross Verification of Selected Inputs --- p.70 / Chapter 4.7 --- Summary on Input Reduction for Human Sensation Modeling --- p.72 / Chapter 5 --- Stimulus Modification Based on Human Sensation --- p.74 / Chapter 5.1 --- Need for Stimulus Modification --- p.74 / Chapter 5.2 --- Sensation Grades --- p.75 / Chapter 5.3 --- Trajectory Modification Scheme --- p.77 / Chapter 5.4 --- Experiments --- p.80 / Chapter 6 --- Conclusion --- p.86 / Chapter 6.1 --- Contributions --- p.86 / Chapter 6.2 --- Future Work --- p.87 / Chapter A --- Platform Model --- p.88 / Chapter A.1 --- Inverse Kinematics --- p.90 / Chapter A.2 --- Forward Kinematics --- p.93 / Chapter A.3 --- Platform Dynamics --- p.99 / Bibliography --- p.100

Humans in the modern world can survive without the Aristotelian senses of vision, hearing, smell or taste, but no one is completely without the ability to sense touch. This sense is essential for everything from basic tasks like tool manipulation to the complex interactions that underlie social bonding, sexual reproduction and pleasure. Touch receptors are embedded in the skin, at the interface of our bodies and the world. A remarkable array of varied receptor types tile our skin to signal different features of the objects we touch and alert us to their shape and texture. An early investigator of the neurological basis of touch, Maximillian von Frey, proposed in 1895 that the morphological diversity of neural endings in the skin could represent functional specificity. It is indeed the evolution of diverse receptor structures that has endowed the sensory organ of our skin with remarkable somatosensory functions. Here I explore the evolution of mechanosensing, and discuss how diversity in form and organization of touch receptors, from the cellular to organismal level, can shape the function of touch reception.

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To most people, a question like “What colour is the letter A?” may seem nonsensical, but to a grapheme-colour synaesthete, each letter and word has an automatically evoked colour sensation associated with it. This thesis asks whether the synaesthetic colours for letters and words are shaped by the same influences that inform the typical use of language – that is, if grapheme-colour synaesthesia is fundamentally psycholinguistic in nature. If this is the case, the colour experiences of synaesthetes for letters and words can also be used to investigate long-standing questions about how language acquisition and processing work for everyone. This thesis addresses two aspects of the psycholinguistic roots of synaesthesia: structure/morphology and meaning/semantics. The first two studies on word structure collected colour responses from synaesthetes for compound words (e.g. rainbow), the constituent morphemes of those words separately (e.g. rain and bow), and the letters that in turn form those words (e.g. R, A, B, etc.). These studies showed that synaesthetic word colouring does indeed encode linguistic properties such as word frequency and morphological structure. Furthermore, both linguistic and colour elements of words were important in determining their synaesthetic colour. The second two studies turned to the semantic aspect of language, asking how the meanings associated with words (e.g. red, fire) and even individual letters (e.g. A, Q) can influence the colours that a synaesthete experiences for them. The first of these studies indicated that the synaesthetic colour for a word like red or fire was measurably influenced by the colour that word typically evokes (e.g. the red of red and the orange of fire). The second showed that trends in letter-colour associations in large-scale studies (e.g. A is typically red) may be rooted in connections to particular words (e.g. A is red because A is for apple and apples are red). Overall, this thesis shows that both word structure and meaning have a systematic, measureable effect on synaesthetic colour, which allows these colours to then be used as a new tool to investigate psycholinguistic questions.