Sensation

The role of gonadal hormones on pain sensations was investigated in normally menstruating women ( n = 16) using the cold pressor test. Tolerance time, pain threshold, and pain intensity were examined once a week during a 4-wk period, and serum concentrations of 17β-estradiol and progesterone were determined at each test session, which were classified into the early follicular phase, late follicular phase, early luteal phase, and late luteal phase, as determined by the first day of menses and the actual hormone levels recorded. A group of men ( n = 10) of the same age interval was examined for comparison. The data show that pain threshold was reduced during the late luteal phase compared with the late follicular phase, and hormone analyses showed significant positive correlation between the progesterone concentration and lowered pain threshold and increasing pain intensity. Hormone analysis also showed an interaction between S-estradiol and S-progesterone on pain intensity, demonstra...

Recent brewing trials indicated the occurrence of valuable bitter compounds in the hard resin fraction of hop. Aiming at the discovery of these compounds, hop's ε-resin was separated by means of a sensory guided fractionation approach and the key taste molecules were identified by means of UV/vis, LC-TOF-MS, and 1D/2D-NMR studies as well as synthetic experiments. Besides a series of literature known xanthohumol derivatives, multifidol glucosides, flavon-3-on glycosides, and p-coumaric acid esters, a total of 11 bitter tastants are reported for the first time, namely, 1″,2″-dihydroxanthohumol F, 4'-hydroxytunicatachalcone, isoxantholupon, 1-methoxy-4-prenylphloroglucinol, dihydrocyclohumulohydrochinone, xanthohumols M, N, and P, and isoxanthohumols M, N, and P, respectively. Human sensory analysis revealed low bitter recognition threshold concentrations ranging from 5 (co-multifidol glucopyranoside) to 198 μmol/L (trans-p-coumaric acid ethyl ester) depending on their chemical...

Zinc fortification is recommended as an appropriate strategy to enhance population zinc status, but guidelines are needed on the appropriate types and levels of zinc fortification of cereal flours for mass fortification programs. To review available information on the scientific rationale, efficacy, and effectiveness of zinc fortification programs, and to develop guidelines on appropriate levels of fortification of cereal flours, based on simulations of the amount of zinc absorbed under different dietary conditions and information on possible adverse effects. Systematic review of scientific literature and application of an existing prediction equation to estimate zinc absorption. Previously completed research demonstrates that zinc intake and absorption are increased when zinc-fortified foods are consumed, but little information is, as yet, available on the biologic impact of large-scale fortification programs. Studies suggest that there are no disadvantages of the recommended range...

We investigated how does the structure of empty time intervals influence temporal processing. In experiment 1, the intervals to be discriminated were the silent durations marked by two sensory signals, both lasting 10 or 500 ms; these signals were two identical flashes (intramodal: VV), or one visual flash (V) followed by an auditory tone (A) (intermodal: VA). For the range of duration under investigation (standards = 0.2, 0.6, 1, or 1.4 s), the results indicated that both the marker length and sensory mode influenced discrimination, but no interaction between these variables or between one of these variables and standard duration was significant. In experiment 2, we compared, for each of four marker-type conditions (VV, AA, VA, AV; and standard = 1 s), intervals marked by two 10 ms signals with intervals marked by unequal signal length (markers 1 and 2 lasting 10 and 500 ms, or 500 and 10 ms). As in experiment 1, the results revealed significant marker-mode and marker-length effects, but no significant interaction between these variables. Experiment 3 showed that, for the same conditions as in experiment 2, perceived duration is not influenced by marker length and that the variability of interval reproductions does not depend on the perceived duration of intervals. The results are discussed in the light of a single-clock hypothesis: marker-length and marker-mode effects are presented as being non-temporal sources of variability associated mainly with sensory and memory processes.

OBJECTIVE. We investigated sensory integration (SI) function in children with cochlear implants (CIs). METHOD. We analyzed deidentified records from 49 children ages 7 mo to 83 mo with CIs. Records included Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT), Sensory Processing Measure (SPM), Sensory Profile (SP), Developmental Profile 3 (DP–3), and Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (PDMS), with scores depending on participants’ ages. We compared scores with normative population mean scores and with previously identified patterns of SI dysfunction. RESULTS. One-sample t tests revealed significant differences between children with CIs and the normative population on the majority of the SIPT items associated with the vestibular and proprioceptive bilateral integration and sequencing (VPBIS) pattern. Available scores for children with CIs on the SPM, SP, DP–3, and PDMS indicated generally typical ratings. CONCLUSION. SIPT scores in a sample of children with CIs reflected the VPBIS pattern of ...

Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is a non-invasive stimulation technique for shaping neuroplastic processes and possibly entraining ongoing neural oscillations in humans. Despite the growing number of studies using tACS, we know little about the procedural sensations caused by stimulation. In order to fill this gap, we explored the cutaneous sensation and phosphene perception during tACS. Twenty healthy participants took part in a randomized, single-blinded, sham-controlled study, where volunteers received short duration stimulation at 1.0 mA intensity between 2 to 250 Hz using the standard left motor cortex-contralateral supraorbital montage. We recorded the perception onset latency and the strength of the sensations assessed by visual rating scale as dependent variables. We found that tACS evoked both cutaneous sensation and phosphene perception in a frequency-dependent manner. Our results show that the most perceptible procedural sensations were induced in the ...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Johnstone pressure splints (JPSs) on spasticity and cutaneous sensory inputs in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). Thirty-four children with spastic diplegic CP participated in this study. Children whose motor development levels were similar were divided into a treatment and a control group. Each group consisted of 17 participants (six females and 11 males). Mean age of the treatment group was 48.82 months (SEM 4.42), and the control group, 47.52 months (SEM 5.27). The treatment group underwent Bobath's neurodevelopmental therapy (NDT) combined with JPSs. The control group underwent NDT alone five days a week for three months. Before and after treatments, lower-extremity passive range of motion (ROM) by goniometric measurements, spasticity by Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were measured. Passive ROM showed significant improvements in both groups (p<0.01). In the treatment group, all MAS scores increased. In the control group, the difference was significant except for values of internal rotator muscles. Improvements in passive ROM in the treatment group were significantly higher than the control group except in hip abduction and external rotation (p<0.05). MAS scores of the treatment group were significantly higher than the control group (p<0.05). SEP values increased in both groups but values of the treatment group were significantly higher than the control group (p<0.05).

Twenty-one subjects were studied to evaluate the effect of renewal of sensory stimulations of previously eaten foods on sensory-specific satiety and intake. The subjects ate French fries then brownie cakes ad libitum in three situations: &quot;monotonous&quot; - fries then brownies were consumed alone; &quot;simultaneous&quot; - condiments (ketchup and mayonnaise for the fries, vanilla cream and whipped cream for the brownies) were added during intakes; &quot;successive&quot; - after intake of fries alone, ketchup then mayonnaise were available with fries and, after intake of brownies alone, vanilla cream then whipped cream were offered with brownies. The quantities eaten in the &quot;simultaneous&quot; and &quot;successive&quot; situations were higher (p&lt;0.001) than those in the &quot;monotonous&quot; one (1485+/-582 and 1682+/-777 kcal vs 1195+/-552 kcal, respectively). In the &quot;successive&quot; situation, hedonic ratings for fries diminished during intake but increased aft...