How a person remembers a touch

Neuroscientists of the Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin have now been able for the first time to document deliberate control of touch sensations in human working memory. It has been shown that the human brain can remember several touch sensations at the same time and consciously retrieve the touch if concentration is focused on these touches.

According to http://www.sciencedaily.com , “In early brain regions in the “feeling center,” where the information of the sense of touch is first directed and processed, systematic changes in cerebral activity occurred when subjects remembered a touch. These changes in activity, which were seen in the so-called alpha rhythm in the early brain regions, were however still unspecific with respect to the task-relevant information.

The memory of different touches, with the distinction between the two frequencies with which the subjects have been stimulated, takes place in higher regions of the brain, in the so-called frontal lobes. Here the researchers could identify brain waves (oscillations) of a specific wavelength, the so-called beta rhythm, which were systematically modulated by the memory of the two different vibration frequencies. Of particular interest was the fact that the frontal beta activity is not limited to the most recently presented frequency. The test persons were also able to reproduce a previous frequency if they were asked to remember. These results indicate the existence of a quantitative tactile memory representation in the human frontal lobes. This memory representation can be controlled consciously. It is subject to the active control of individuals on the current contents of their memory.”

What do you get from this article? Has it increased an interest in science and the way our bodies and mind’s work together? The more you know about the human and its capabilities, the better you can go about your life, aware and awake.

My thoughts on memory and touch, (from an unscientific perspective), is that one usually remembers what has the most impact or influence on the individual. 🙂 Make the touch important to self and you will most likely have it clear (or clearer than other touches) in your memory bank.

About LZapata

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4 Responses to How a person remembers a touch

  1. Ben says:

    I am confused in the word “touch”. What do you mean by it? A kiss, a holding hand, a poke?

    No offence but I find the article of the sciencedialy.com nonsensical. I don’t see the need of knowing the how a person remembers a touch.

    Can you give me one?

  2. LZapata says:

    Hey Ben,
    Thanks for the comment. According to dictionary.com touch= 1. to put the hand, finger, etc., on or into contact with (something) to feel it: He touched the iron cautiously.
    2.
    to come into contact with and perceive (something), as the hand or the like does.
    3.
    to bring (the hand, finger, etc., or something held) into contact with something: She touched a match to the papers.
    so touch can be all the examples you listed and of course more: brushing an object, caressing a lover’s face, patting somebody on the head, etc.
    Why do you feel that the article at sciencedaily.com is nonsensical?
    I think the need to know any thing comes from personal opinion. I think to know more about the process of remembering is important to better understand how and why humans decide to remember certain things and leave other moments to the wind. When it comes down to it, each individual decides what is important to know and what they do not care to know more about.

  3. LZapata says:

    A layman may not be able to apply it without further investigation. A layman may not understand how to apply it. To fully apply anything, one must experience and understand. Maybe, if a person found interest and personal reason in understanding how to apply it, and had motivation to find answers and understand, a clarity will come for them from research, experience, and time with the concept.

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