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Question is based on the following passage.
This passage is adapted from Sabrina Richards, “Pleasant tothe Touch.” ©2012 by The Scientist.
In the early 1990s, textbooks acknowledged that
humans had slow-conducting nerves, but asserted
that those nerves only responded to two types of
Line stimuli: pain and temperature. Sensations of pressure
5 and vibration were believed to travel only along
myelinated, fast-signaling nerve fibers, which also
give information about location. Experiments
blocking nerve fibers supported this notion.
Preventing fast fibers from firing (either by clamping
10 the relevant nerve or by injecting the local anesthetic
lidocaine) seemed to eliminate the sensation of
pressure altogether, but blocking slow fibers only
seemed to reduce sensitivity to warmth or a small
painful shock.
15 Håkan Olausson and his Gothenburg University
colleagues Åke Vallbo and Johan Wessberg
wondered if slow fibers responsive to gentle pressure
might be active in humans as well as in other
mammals. In 1993, they corralled 28 young
20 volunteers and recorded nerve signals while gently
brushing the subjects’ arms with their fingertips.
Using a technique called microneurography, in
which a fine filament is inserted into a single nerve to
capture its electrical impulses, the scientists were able
25 to measure how quickly—or slowly—the nerves
fired. They showed that soft stroking prompted
two different signals, one immediate and one
delayed. The delay, Olausson explains, means that
the signal from a gentle touch on the forearm will
30 reach the brain about a half second later. This delay
identified nerve impulses traveling at speeds
characteristic of slow, unmyelinated fibers—about
1 meter/second—confirming the presence of these
fibers in human hairy skin. (In contrast, fast-
35 conducting fibers, already known to respond to
touch, signal at a rate between 35 and 75 m/s.)
Then, in 1999, the group looked more closely at
the characteristics of the slow fibers. They named
these “low-threshold” nerves “C-tactile,” or CT,
40 fibers, said Olausson, because of their “exquisite
sensitivity” to slow, gentle tactile stimulation, but
unresponsiveness to noxious stimuli like pinpricks.
But why exactly humans might have such fibers,
which respond only to a narrow range of rather
45 subtle stimuli, was initially mystifying. Unlike other
types of sensory nerves, CT fibers could be found
only in hairy human skin—such as the forearm and
thigh. No amount of gentle stroking of hairless skin,
such as the palms and soles of the feet, prompted
50 similar activity signatures. Olausson and his
colleagues decided that these fibers must be
conveying a different dimension of sensory
information than fast-conducting fibers.
Although microneurography can give
55 information about how a single nerve responds to
gentle brushing and pressure, it cannot tease out
what aspect of sensation that fiber relays, says
Olausson. He wanted to know if that same slow
nerve can distinguish where the brush touches the
60 arm, and whether it can discern the difference
between a goat-hair brush and a feather. Most
importantly, could that same fiber convey a pleasant
sensation?
To address the question, Olausson’s group sought
65 out a patient known as G.L. who had an unusual
nerve defect. More than 2 decades earlier, she had
developed numbness across many parts of her body
after taking penicillin to treat a cough and fever.
Testing showed that she had lost responsiveness to
70 pressure, and a nerve biopsy confirmed that G.L.’s
quick-conducting fibers were gone, resulting in an
inability to sense any pokes, prods, or pinpricks
below her nose. But she could still sense warmth,
suggesting that her slow-conducting unmyelinated
75 fibers were intact.
Upon recruiting G.L., Olausson tested her by
brushing her arm gently at the speed of between
2–10 centimeters per second. She had more trouble
distinguishing the direction or pressure of the brush
80 strokes than most subjects, but reported feeling a
pleasant sensation. When the researchers tried
brushing her palm, where CT fibers are not found,
she felt nothing.
Olausson used functional MRI studies to examine
85 which areas of the brain lit up when G.L.’s arm was
gently brushed to activate CT fibers. In normal
subjects, both the somatosensory and insular cortices
were activated, but only the insular cortex [which
processes emotion] was active when researchers
90 brushed G.L.’s arm. This solidified the notion that
CT fibers convey a more emotional quality of touch,
rather than the conscious aspect that helps us
describe what we are sensing. CT fibers, it seemed,
specifically provide pleasurable sensations.
Q. According to the passage, G.L. differed from Olausson’s other test subjects in terms of the
  • a)
    number of cortices activated in the brain during gentle brushing.
  • b)
    physical dimensions of the somatosensory cortex.
  • c)
    intensity of nerve signals required to activate the insular cortex.
  • d)
    effect of MRI scanning on the basic function of brain cortices.
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
Most Upvoted Answer
Question is based on the following passage.This passage is adapted fro...
Choice A is the best answer. According to the last paragraph, “in normal subjects, both the somatosensory and insular cortices were activated [by gentle brushing], but only the insular cortex [which processes emotion] was active when researchers brushed G.L.’s arm.” Therefore, according to the passage, G.L. differed from Olausson’s other test subjects in terms of the number of cortices activated in the brain during gentle brushing. Choice B is incorrect because the passage doesn’t address the physical dimensions of the somatosensory cortex in G.L. or other test subjects. Choice C is incorrect because G.L. differed from other test subjects in terms of the number of cortices activated in the brain during gentle brushing, not in terms of the intensity of nerve signals required to activate the insular cortex. Choice D is incorrect because MRI scanning is discussed in the passage as a method used to locate brain activity, not as a focus of study in Olausson’s research.
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Question is based on the following passage.This passage is adapted from Sabrina Richards, “Pleasant tothe Touch.” ©2012 by The Scientist.In the early 1990s, textbooks acknowledged thathumans had slow-conducting nerves, but assertedthat those nerves only responded to two types ofLine stimuli: pain and temperature. Sensations of pressure5 and vibration were believed to travel only alongmyelinated, fast-signaling nerve fibers, which alsogive information about location. Experimentsblocking nerve fibers supported this notion.Preventing fast fibers from firing (either by clamping10 the relevant nerve or by injecting the local anestheticlidocaine) seemed to eliminate the sensation ofpressure altogether, but blocking slow fibers onlyseemed to reduce sensitivity to warmth or a smallpainful shock.15 Håkan Olausson and his Gothenburg Universitycolleagues Åke Vallbo and Johan Wessbergwondered if slow fibers responsive to gentle pressuremight be active in humans as well as in othermammals. In 1993, they corralled 28 young20 volunteers and recorded nerve signals while gentlybrushing the subjects’ arms with their fingertips.Using a technique called microneurography, inwhich a fine filament is inserted into a single nerve tocapture its electrical impulses, the scientists were able25 to measure how quickly—or slowly—the nervesfired. They showed that soft stroking promptedtwo different signals, one immediate and onedelayed. The delay, Olausson explains, means thatthe signal from a gentle touch on the forearm will30 reach the brain about a half second later. This delayidentified nerve impulses traveling at speedscharacteristic of slow, unmyelinated fibers—about1 meter/second—confirming the presence of thesefibers in human hairy skin. (In contrast, fast-35 conducting fibers, already known to respond totouch, signal at a rate between 35 and 75 m/s.)Then, in 1999, the group looked more closely atthe characteristics of the slow fibers. They namedthese “low-threshold” nerves “C-tactile,” or CT,40 fibers, said Olausson, because of their “exquisitesensitivity” to slow, gentle tactile stimulation, butunresponsiveness to noxious stimuli like pinpricks.But why exactly humans might have such fibers,which respond only to a narrow range of rather45 subtle stimuli, was initially mystifying. Unlike othertypes of sensory nerves, CT fibers could be foundonly in hairy human skin—such as the forearm andthigh. No amount of gentle stroking of hairless skin,such as the palms and soles of the feet, prompted50 similar activity signatures. Olausson and hiscolleagues decided that these fibers must beconveying a different dimension of sensoryinformation than fast-conducting fibers.Although microneurography can give55 information about how a single nerve responds togentle brushing and pressure, it cannot tease outwhat aspect of sensation that fiber relays, saysOlausson. He wanted to know if that same slownerve can distinguish where the brush touches the60 arm, and whether it can discern the differencebetween a goat-hair brush and a feather. Mostimportantly, could that same fiber convey a pleasantsensation?To address the question, Olausson’s group sought65 out a patient known as G.L. who had an unusualnerve defect. More than 2 decades earlier, she haddeveloped numbness across many parts of her bodyafter taking penicillin to treat a cough and fever.Testing showed that she had lost responsiveness to70 pressure, and a nerve biopsy confirmed that G.L.’squick-conducting fibers were gone, resulting in aninability to sense any pokes, prods, or pinpricksbelow her nose. But she could still sense warmth,suggesting that her slow-conducting unmyelinated75 fibers were intact.Upon recruiting G.L., Olausson tested her bybrushing her arm gently at the speed of between2–10 centimeters per second. She had more troubledistinguishing the direction or pressure of the brush80 strokes than most subjects, but reported feeling apleasant sensation. When the researchers triedbrushing her palm, where CT fibers are not found,she felt nothing.Olausson used functional MRI studies to examine85 which areas of the brain lit up when G.L.’s arm wasgently brushed to activate CT fibers. In normalsubjects, both the somatosensory and insular corticeswere activated, but only the insular cortex [whichprocesses emotion] was active when researchers90 brushed G.L.’s arm. This solidified the notion thatCT fibers convey a more emotional quality of touch,rather than the conscious aspect that helps usdescribe what we are sensing. CT fibers, it seemed,specifically provide pleasurable sensations.Q.According to the passage, G.L. differed from Olausson’s other test subjects in terms of thea)number of cortices activated in the brain during gentle brushing.b)physical dimensions of the somatosensory cortex.c)intensity of nerve signals required to activate the insular cortex.d)effect of MRI scanning on the basic function of brain cortices.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
Question Description
Question is based on the following passage.This passage is adapted from Sabrina Richards, “Pleasant tothe Touch.” ©2012 by The Scientist.In the early 1990s, textbooks acknowledged thathumans had slow-conducting nerves, but assertedthat those nerves only responded to two types ofLine stimuli: pain and temperature. Sensations of pressure5 and vibration were believed to travel only alongmyelinated, fast-signaling nerve fibers, which alsogive information about location. Experimentsblocking nerve fibers supported this notion.Preventing fast fibers from firing (either by clamping10 the relevant nerve or by injecting the local anestheticlidocaine) seemed to eliminate the sensation ofpressure altogether, but blocking slow fibers onlyseemed to reduce sensitivity to warmth or a smallpainful shock.15 Håkan Olausson and his Gothenburg Universitycolleagues Åke Vallbo and Johan Wessbergwondered if slow fibers responsive to gentle pressuremight be active in humans as well as in othermammals. In 1993, they corralled 28 young20 volunteers and recorded nerve signals while gentlybrushing the subjects’ arms with their fingertips.Using a technique called microneurography, inwhich a fine filament is inserted into a single nerve tocapture its electrical impulses, the scientists were able25 to measure how quickly—or slowly—the nervesfired. They showed that soft stroking promptedtwo different signals, one immediate and onedelayed. The delay, Olausson explains, means thatthe signal from a gentle touch on the forearm will30 reach the brain about a half second later. This delayidentified nerve impulses traveling at speedscharacteristic of slow, unmyelinated fibers—about1 meter/second—confirming the presence of thesefibers in human hairy skin. (In contrast, fast-35 conducting fibers, already known to respond totouch, signal at a rate between 35 and 75 m/s.)Then, in 1999, the group looked more closely atthe characteristics of the slow fibers. They namedthese “low-threshold” nerves “C-tactile,” or CT,40 fibers, said Olausson, because of their “exquisitesensitivity” to slow, gentle tactile stimulation, butunresponsiveness to noxious stimuli like pinpricks.But why exactly humans might have such fibers,which respond only to a narrow range of rather45 subtle stimuli, was initially mystifying. Unlike othertypes of sensory nerves, CT fibers could be foundonly in hairy human skin—such as the forearm andthigh. No amount of gentle stroking of hairless skin,such as the palms and soles of the feet, prompted50 similar activity signatures. Olausson and hiscolleagues decided that these fibers must beconveying a different dimension of sensoryinformation than fast-conducting fibers.Although microneurography can give55 information about how a single nerve responds togentle brushing and pressure, it cannot tease outwhat aspect of sensation that fiber relays, saysOlausson. He wanted to know if that same slownerve can distinguish where the brush touches the60 arm, and whether it can discern the differencebetween a goat-hair brush and a feather. Mostimportantly, could that same fiber convey a pleasantsensation?To address the question, Olausson’s group sought65 out a patient known as G.L. who had an unusualnerve defect. More than 2 decades earlier, she haddeveloped numbness across many parts of her bodyafter taking penicillin to treat a cough and fever.Testing showed that she had lost responsiveness to70 pressure, and a nerve biopsy confirmed that G.L.’squick-conducting fibers were gone, resulting in aninability to sense any pokes, prods, or pinpricksbelow her nose. But she could still sense warmth,suggesting that her slow-conducting unmyelinated75 fibers were intact.Upon recruiting G.L., Olausson tested her bybrushing her arm gently at the speed of between2–10 centimeters per second. She had more troubledistinguishing the direction or pressure of the brush80 strokes than most subjects, but reported feeling apleasant sensation. When the researchers triedbrushing her palm, where CT fibers are not found,she felt nothing.Olausson used functional MRI studies to examine85 which areas of the brain lit up when G.L.’s arm wasgently brushed to activate CT fibers. In normalsubjects, both the somatosensory and insular corticeswere activated, but only the insular cortex [whichprocesses emotion] was active when researchers90 brushed G.L.’s arm. This solidified the notion thatCT fibers convey a more emotional quality of touch,rather than the conscious aspect that helps usdescribe what we are sensing. CT fibers, it seemed,specifically provide pleasurable sensations.Q.According to the passage, G.L. differed from Olausson’s other test subjects in terms of thea)number of cortices activated in the brain during gentle brushing.b)physical dimensions of the somatosensory cortex.c)intensity of nerve signals required to activate the insular cortex.d)effect of MRI scanning on the basic function of brain cortices.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? for SAT 2025 is part of SAT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the SAT exam syllabus. Information about Question is based on the following passage.This passage is adapted from Sabrina Richards, “Pleasant tothe Touch.” ©2012 by The Scientist.In the early 1990s, textbooks acknowledged thathumans had slow-conducting nerves, but assertedthat those nerves only responded to two types ofLine stimuli: pain and temperature. Sensations of pressure5 and vibration were believed to travel only alongmyelinated, fast-signaling nerve fibers, which alsogive information about location. Experimentsblocking nerve fibers supported this notion.Preventing fast fibers from firing (either by clamping10 the relevant nerve or by injecting the local anestheticlidocaine) seemed to eliminate the sensation ofpressure altogether, but blocking slow fibers onlyseemed to reduce sensitivity to warmth or a smallpainful shock.15 Håkan Olausson and his Gothenburg Universitycolleagues Åke Vallbo and Johan Wessbergwondered if slow fibers responsive to gentle pressuremight be active in humans as well as in othermammals. In 1993, they corralled 28 young20 volunteers and recorded nerve signals while gentlybrushing the subjects’ arms with their fingertips.Using a technique called microneurography, inwhich a fine filament is inserted into a single nerve tocapture its electrical impulses, the scientists were able25 to measure how quickly—or slowly—the nervesfired. They showed that soft stroking promptedtwo different signals, one immediate and onedelayed. The delay, Olausson explains, means thatthe signal from a gentle touch on the forearm will30 reach the brain about a half second later. This delayidentified nerve impulses traveling at speedscharacteristic of slow, unmyelinated fibers—about1 meter/second—confirming the presence of thesefibers in human hairy skin. (In contrast, fast-35 conducting fibers, already known to respond totouch, signal at a rate between 35 and 75 m/s.)Then, in 1999, the group looked more closely atthe characteristics of the slow fibers. They namedthese “low-threshold” nerves “C-tactile,” or CT,40 fibers, said Olausson, because of their “exquisitesensitivity” to slow, gentle tactile stimulation, butunresponsiveness to noxious stimuli like pinpricks.But why exactly humans might have such fibers,which respond only to a narrow range of rather45 subtle stimuli, was initially mystifying. Unlike othertypes of sensory nerves, CT fibers could be foundonly in hairy human skin—such as the forearm andthigh. No amount of gentle stroking of hairless skin,such as the palms and soles of the feet, prompted50 similar activity signatures. Olausson and hiscolleagues decided that these fibers must beconveying a different dimension of sensoryinformation than fast-conducting fibers.Although microneurography can give55 information about how a single nerve responds togentle brushing and pressure, it cannot tease outwhat aspect of sensation that fiber relays, saysOlausson. He wanted to know if that same slownerve can distinguish where the brush touches the60 arm, and whether it can discern the differencebetween a goat-hair brush and a feather. Mostimportantly, could that same fiber convey a pleasantsensation?To address the question, Olausson’s group sought65 out a patient known as G.L. who had an unusualnerve defect. More than 2 decades earlier, she haddeveloped numbness across many parts of her bodyafter taking penicillin to treat a cough and fever.Testing showed that she had lost responsiveness to70 pressure, and a nerve biopsy confirmed that G.L.’squick-conducting fibers were gone, resulting in aninability to sense any pokes, prods, or pinpricksbelow her nose. But she could still sense warmth,suggesting that her slow-conducting unmyelinated75 fibers were intact.Upon recruiting G.L., Olausson tested her bybrushing her arm gently at the speed of between2–10 centimeters per second. She had more troubledistinguishing the direction or pressure of the brush80 strokes than most subjects, but reported feeling apleasant sensation. When the researchers triedbrushing her palm, where CT fibers are not found,she felt nothing.Olausson used functional MRI studies to examine85 which areas of the brain lit up when G.L.’s arm wasgently brushed to activate CT fibers. In normalsubjects, both the somatosensory and insular corticeswere activated, but only the insular cortex [whichprocesses emotion] was active when researchers90 brushed G.L.’s arm. This solidified the notion thatCT fibers convey a more emotional quality of touch,rather than the conscious aspect that helps usdescribe what we are sensing. CT fibers, it seemed,specifically provide pleasurable sensations.Q.According to the passage, G.L. differed from Olausson’s other test subjects in terms of thea)number of cortices activated in the brain during gentle brushing.b)physical dimensions of the somatosensory cortex.c)intensity of nerve signals required to activate the insular cortex.d)effect of MRI scanning on the basic function of brain cortices.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for SAT 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Question is based on the following passage.This passage is adapted from Sabrina Richards, “Pleasant tothe Touch.” ©2012 by The Scientist.In the early 1990s, textbooks acknowledged thathumans had slow-conducting nerves, but assertedthat those nerves only responded to two types ofLine stimuli: pain and temperature. Sensations of pressure5 and vibration were believed to travel only alongmyelinated, fast-signaling nerve fibers, which alsogive information about location. Experimentsblocking nerve fibers supported this notion.Preventing fast fibers from firing (either by clamping10 the relevant nerve or by injecting the local anestheticlidocaine) seemed to eliminate the sensation ofpressure altogether, but blocking slow fibers onlyseemed to reduce sensitivity to warmth or a smallpainful shock.15 Håkan Olausson and his Gothenburg Universitycolleagues Åke Vallbo and Johan Wessbergwondered if slow fibers responsive to gentle pressuremight be active in humans as well as in othermammals. In 1993, they corralled 28 young20 volunteers and recorded nerve signals while gentlybrushing the subjects’ arms with their fingertips.Using a technique called microneurography, inwhich a fine filament is inserted into a single nerve tocapture its electrical impulses, the scientists were able25 to measure how quickly—or slowly—the nervesfired. They showed that soft stroking promptedtwo different signals, one immediate and onedelayed. The delay, Olausson explains, means thatthe signal from a gentle touch on the forearm will30 reach the brain about a half second later. This delayidentified nerve impulses traveling at speedscharacteristic of slow, unmyelinated fibers—about1 meter/second—confirming the presence of thesefibers in human hairy skin. (In contrast, fast-35 conducting fibers, already known to respond totouch, signal at a rate between 35 and 75 m/s.)Then, in 1999, the group looked more closely atthe characteristics of the slow fibers. They namedthese “low-threshold” nerves “C-tactile,” or CT,40 fibers, said Olausson, because of their “exquisitesensitivity” to slow, gentle tactile stimulation, butunresponsiveness to noxious stimuli like pinpricks.But why exactly humans might have such fibers,which respond only to a narrow range of rather45 subtle stimuli, was initially mystifying. Unlike othertypes of sensory nerves, CT fibers could be foundonly in hairy human skin—such as the forearm andthigh. No amount of gentle stroking of hairless skin,such as the palms and soles of the feet, prompted50 similar activity signatures. Olausson and hiscolleagues decided that these fibers must beconveying a different dimension of sensoryinformation than fast-conducting fibers.Although microneurography can give55 information about how a single nerve responds togentle brushing and pressure, it cannot tease outwhat aspect of sensation that fiber relays, saysOlausson. He wanted to know if that same slownerve can distinguish where the brush touches the60 arm, and whether it can discern the differencebetween a goat-hair brush and a feather. Mostimportantly, could that same fiber convey a pleasantsensation?To address the question, Olausson’s group sought65 out a patient known as G.L. who had an unusualnerve defect. More than 2 decades earlier, she haddeveloped numbness across many parts of her bodyafter taking penicillin to treat a cough and fever.Testing showed that she had lost responsiveness to70 pressure, and a nerve biopsy confirmed that G.L.’squick-conducting fibers were gone, resulting in aninability to sense any pokes, prods, or pinpricksbelow her nose. But she could still sense warmth,suggesting that her slow-conducting unmyelinated75 fibers were intact.Upon recruiting G.L., Olausson tested her bybrushing her arm gently at the speed of between2–10 centimeters per second. She had more troubledistinguishing the direction or pressure of the brush80 strokes than most subjects, but reported feeling apleasant sensation. When the researchers triedbrushing her palm, where CT fibers are not found,she felt nothing.Olausson used functional MRI studies to examine85 which areas of the brain lit up when G.L.’s arm wasgently brushed to activate CT fibers. In normalsubjects, both the somatosensory and insular corticeswere activated, but only the insular cortex [whichprocesses emotion] was active when researchers90 brushed G.L.’s arm. This solidified the notion thatCT fibers convey a more emotional quality of touch,rather than the conscious aspect that helps usdescribe what we are sensing. CT fibers, it seemed,specifically provide pleasurable sensations.Q.According to the passage, G.L. differed from Olausson’s other test subjects in terms of thea)number of cortices activated in the brain during gentle brushing.b)physical dimensions of the somatosensory cortex.c)intensity of nerve signals required to activate the insular cortex.d)effect of MRI scanning on the basic function of brain cortices.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?.
Solutions for Question is based on the following passage.This passage is adapted from Sabrina Richards, “Pleasant tothe Touch.” ©2012 by The Scientist.In the early 1990s, textbooks acknowledged thathumans had slow-conducting nerves, but assertedthat those nerves only responded to two types ofLine stimuli: pain and temperature. Sensations of pressure5 and vibration were believed to travel only alongmyelinated, fast-signaling nerve fibers, which alsogive information about location. Experimentsblocking nerve fibers supported this notion.Preventing fast fibers from firing (either by clamping10 the relevant nerve or by injecting the local anestheticlidocaine) seemed to eliminate the sensation ofpressure altogether, but blocking slow fibers onlyseemed to reduce sensitivity to warmth or a smallpainful shock.15 Håkan Olausson and his Gothenburg Universitycolleagues Åke Vallbo and Johan Wessbergwondered if slow fibers responsive to gentle pressuremight be active in humans as well as in othermammals. In 1993, they corralled 28 young20 volunteers and recorded nerve signals while gentlybrushing the subjects’ arms with their fingertips.Using a technique called microneurography, inwhich a fine filament is inserted into a single nerve tocapture its electrical impulses, the scientists were able25 to measure how quickly—or slowly—the nervesfired. They showed that soft stroking promptedtwo different signals, one immediate and onedelayed. The delay, Olausson explains, means thatthe signal from a gentle touch on the forearm will30 reach the brain about a half second later. This delayidentified nerve impulses traveling at speedscharacteristic of slow, unmyelinated fibers—about1 meter/second—confirming the presence of thesefibers in human hairy skin. (In contrast, fast-35 conducting fibers, already known to respond totouch, signal at a rate between 35 and 75 m/s.)Then, in 1999, the group looked more closely atthe characteristics of the slow fibers. They namedthese “low-threshold” nerves “C-tactile,” or CT,40 fibers, said Olausson, because of their “exquisitesensitivity” to slow, gentle tactile stimulation, butunresponsiveness to noxious stimuli like pinpricks.But why exactly humans might have such fibers,which respond only to a narrow range of rather45 subtle stimuli, was initially mystifying. Unlike othertypes of sensory nerves, CT fibers could be foundonly in hairy human skin—such as the forearm andthigh. No amount of gentle stroking of hairless skin,such as the palms and soles of the feet, prompted50 similar activity signatures. Olausson and hiscolleagues decided that these fibers must beconveying a different dimension of sensoryinformation than fast-conducting fibers.Although microneurography can give55 information about how a single nerve responds togentle brushing and pressure, it cannot tease outwhat aspect of sensation that fiber relays, saysOlausson. He wanted to know if that same slownerve can distinguish where the brush touches the60 arm, and whether it can discern the differencebetween a goat-hair brush and a feather. Mostimportantly, could that same fiber convey a pleasantsensation?To address the question, Olausson’s group sought65 out a patient known as G.L. who had an unusualnerve defect. More than 2 decades earlier, she haddeveloped numbness across many parts of her bodyafter taking penicillin to treat a cough and fever.Testing showed that she had lost responsiveness to70 pressure, and a nerve biopsy confirmed that G.L.’squick-conducting fibers were gone, resulting in aninability to sense any pokes, prods, or pinpricksbelow her nose. But she could still sense warmth,suggesting that her slow-conducting unmyelinated75 fibers were intact.Upon recruiting G.L., Olausson tested her bybrushing her arm gently at the speed of between2–10 centimeters per second. She had more troubledistinguishing the direction or pressure of the brush80 strokes than most subjects, but reported feeling apleasant sensation. When the researchers triedbrushing her palm, where CT fibers are not found,she felt nothing.Olausson used functional MRI studies to examine85 which areas of the brain lit up when G.L.’s arm wasgently brushed to activate CT fibers. In normalsubjects, both the somatosensory and insular corticeswere activated, but only the insular cortex [whichprocesses emotion] was active when researchers90 brushed G.L.’s arm. This solidified the notion thatCT fibers convey a more emotional quality of touch,rather than the conscious aspect that helps usdescribe what we are sensing. CT fibers, it seemed,specifically provide pleasurable sensations.Q.According to the passage, G.L. differed from Olausson’s other test subjects in terms of thea)number of cortices activated in the brain during gentle brushing.b)physical dimensions of the somatosensory cortex.c)intensity of nerve signals required to activate the insular cortex.d)effect of MRI scanning on the basic function of brain cortices.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for SAT. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for SAT Exam by signing up for free.
Here you can find the meaning of Question is based on the following passage.This passage is adapted from Sabrina Richards, “Pleasant tothe Touch.” ©2012 by The Scientist.In the early 1990s, textbooks acknowledged thathumans had slow-conducting nerves, but assertedthat those nerves only responded to two types ofLine stimuli: pain and temperature. Sensations of pressure5 and vibration were believed to travel only alongmyelinated, fast-signaling nerve fibers, which alsogive information about location. Experimentsblocking nerve fibers supported this notion.Preventing fast fibers from firing (either by clamping10 the relevant nerve or by injecting the local anestheticlidocaine) seemed to eliminate the sensation ofpressure altogether, but blocking slow fibers onlyseemed to reduce sensitivity to warmth or a smallpainful shock.15 Håkan Olausson and his Gothenburg Universitycolleagues Åke Vallbo and Johan Wessbergwondered if slow fibers responsive to gentle pressuremight be active in humans as well as in othermammals. In 1993, they corralled 28 young20 volunteers and recorded nerve signals while gentlybrushing the subjects’ arms with their fingertips.Using a technique called microneurography, inwhich a fine filament is inserted into a single nerve tocapture its electrical impulses, the scientists were able25 to measure how quickly—or slowly—the nervesfired. They showed that soft stroking promptedtwo different signals, one immediate and onedelayed. The delay, Olausson explains, means thatthe signal from a gentle touch on the forearm will30 reach the brain about a half second later. This delayidentified nerve impulses traveling at speedscharacteristic of slow, unmyelinated fibers—about1 meter/second—confirming the presence of thesefibers in human hairy skin. (In contrast, fast-35 conducting fibers, already known to respond totouch, signal at a rate between 35 and 75 m/s.)Then, in 1999, the group looked more closely atthe characteristics of the slow fibers. They namedthese “low-threshold” nerves “C-tactile,” or CT,40 fibers, said Olausson, because of their “exquisitesensitivity” to slow, gentle tactile stimulation, butunresponsiveness to noxious stimuli like pinpricks.But why exactly humans might have such fibers,which respond only to a narrow range of rather45 subtle stimuli, was initially mystifying. Unlike othertypes of sensory nerves, CT fibers could be foundonly in hairy human skin—such as the forearm andthigh. No amount of gentle stroking of hairless skin,such as the palms and soles of the feet, prompted50 similar activity signatures. Olausson and hiscolleagues decided that these fibers must beconveying a different dimension of sensoryinformation than fast-conducting fibers.Although microneurography can give55 information about how a single nerve responds togentle brushing and pressure, it cannot tease outwhat aspect of sensation that fiber relays, saysOlausson. He wanted to know if that same slownerve can distinguish where the brush touches the60 arm, and whether it can discern the differencebetween a goat-hair brush and a feather. Mostimportantly, could that same fiber convey a pleasantsensation?To address the question, Olausson’s group sought65 out a patient known as G.L. who had an unusualnerve defect. More than 2 decades earlier, she haddeveloped numbness across many parts of her bodyafter taking penicillin to treat a cough and fever.Testing showed that she had lost responsiveness to70 pressure, and a nerve biopsy confirmed that G.L.’squick-conducting fibers were gone, resulting in aninability to sense any pokes, prods, or pinpricksbelow her nose. But she could still sense warmth,suggesting that her slow-conducting unmyelinated75 fibers were intact.Upon recruiting G.L., Olausson tested her bybrushing her arm gently at the speed of between2–10 centimeters per second. She had more troubledistinguishing the direction or pressure of the brush80 strokes than most subjects, but reported feeling apleasant sensation. When the researchers triedbrushing her palm, where CT fibers are not found,she felt nothing.Olausson used functional MRI studies to examine85 which areas of the brain lit up when G.L.’s arm wasgently brushed to activate CT fibers. In normalsubjects, both the somatosensory and insular corticeswere activated, but only the insular cortex [whichprocesses emotion] was active when researchers90 brushed G.L.’s arm. This solidified the notion thatCT fibers convey a more emotional quality of touch,rather than the conscious aspect that helps usdescribe what we are sensing. CT fibers, it seemed,specifically provide pleasurable sensations.Q.According to the passage, G.L. differed from Olausson’s other test subjects in terms of thea)number of cortices activated in the brain during gentle brushing.b)physical dimensions of the somatosensory cortex.c)intensity of nerve signals required to activate the insular cortex.d)effect of MRI scanning on the basic function of brain cortices.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of Question is based on the following passage.This passage is adapted from Sabrina Richards, “Pleasant tothe Touch.” ©2012 by The Scientist.In the early 1990s, textbooks acknowledged thathumans had slow-conducting nerves, but assertedthat those nerves only responded to two types ofLine stimuli: pain and temperature. Sensations of pressure5 and vibration were believed to travel only alongmyelinated, fast-signaling nerve fibers, which alsogive information about location. Experimentsblocking nerve fibers supported this notion.Preventing fast fibers from firing (either by clamping10 the relevant nerve or by injecting the local anestheticlidocaine) seemed to eliminate the sensation ofpressure altogether, but blocking slow fibers onlyseemed to reduce sensitivity to warmth or a smallpainful shock.15 Håkan Olausson and his Gothenburg Universitycolleagues Åke Vallbo and Johan Wessbergwondered if slow fibers responsive to gentle pressuremight be active in humans as well as in othermammals. In 1993, they corralled 28 young20 volunteers and recorded nerve signals while gentlybrushing the subjects’ arms with their fingertips.Using a technique called microneurography, inwhich a fine filament is inserted into a single nerve tocapture its electrical impulses, the scientists were able25 to measure how quickly—or slowly—the nervesfired. They showed that soft stroking promptedtwo different signals, one immediate and onedelayed. The delay, Olausson explains, means thatthe signal from a gentle touch on the forearm will30 reach the brain about a half second later. This delayidentified nerve impulses traveling at speedscharacteristic of slow, unmyelinated fibers—about1 meter/second—confirming the presence of thesefibers in human hairy skin. (In contrast, fast-35 conducting fibers, already known to respond totouch, signal at a rate between 35 and 75 m/s.)Then, in 1999, the group looked more closely atthe characteristics of the slow fibers. They namedthese “low-threshold” nerves “C-tactile,” or CT,40 fibers, said Olausson, because of their “exquisitesensitivity” to slow, gentle tactile stimulation, butunresponsiveness to noxious stimuli like pinpricks.But why exactly humans might have such fibers,which respond only to a narrow range of rather45 subtle stimuli, was initially mystifying. Unlike othertypes of sensory nerves, CT fibers could be foundonly in hairy human skin—such as the forearm andthigh. No amount of gentle stroking of hairless skin,such as the palms and soles of the feet, prompted50 similar activity signatures. Olausson and hiscolleagues decided that these fibers must beconveying a different dimension of sensoryinformation than fast-conducting fibers.Although microneurography can give55 information about how a single nerve responds togentle brushing and pressure, it cannot tease outwhat aspect of sensation that fiber relays, saysOlausson. He wanted to know if that same slownerve can distinguish where the brush touches the60 arm, and whether it can discern the differencebetween a goat-hair brush and a feather. Mostimportantly, could that same fiber convey a pleasantsensation?To address the question, Olausson’s group sought65 out a patient known as G.L. who had an unusualnerve defect. More than 2 decades earlier, she haddeveloped numbness across many parts of her bodyafter taking penicillin to treat a cough and fever.Testing showed that she had lost responsiveness to70 pressure, and a nerve biopsy confirmed that G.L.’squick-conducting fibers were gone, resulting in aninability to sense any pokes, prods, or pinpricksbelow her nose. But she could still sense warmth,suggesting that her slow-conducting unmyelinated75 fibers were intact.Upon recruiting G.L., Olausson tested her bybrushing her arm gently at the speed of between2–10 centimeters per second. She had more troubledistinguishing the direction or pressure of the brush80 strokes than most subjects, but reported feeling apleasant sensation. When the researchers triedbrushing her palm, where CT fibers are not found,she felt nothing.Olausson used functional MRI studies to examine85 which areas of the brain lit up when G.L.’s arm wasgently brushed to activate CT fibers. In normalsubjects, both the somatosensory and insular corticeswere activated, but only the insular cortex [whichprocesses emotion] was active when researchers90 brushed G.L.’s arm. This solidified the notion thatCT fibers convey a more emotional quality of touch,rather than the conscious aspect that helps usdescribe what we are sensing. CT fibers, it seemed,specifically provide pleasurable sensations.Q.According to the passage, G.L. differed from Olausson’s other test subjects in terms of thea)number of cortices activated in the brain during gentle brushing.b)physical dimensions of the somatosensory cortex.c)intensity of nerve signals required to activate the insular cortex.d)effect of MRI scanning on the basic function of brain cortices.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for Question is based on the following passage.This passage is adapted from Sabrina Richards, “Pleasant tothe Touch.” ©2012 by The Scientist.In the early 1990s, textbooks acknowledged thathumans had slow-conducting nerves, but assertedthat those nerves only responded to two types ofLine stimuli: pain and temperature. Sensations of pressure5 and vibration were believed to travel only alongmyelinated, fast-signaling nerve fibers, which alsogive information about location. Experimentsblocking nerve fibers supported this notion.Preventing fast fibers from firing (either by clamping10 the relevant nerve or by injecting the local anestheticlidocaine) seemed to eliminate the sensation ofpressure altogether, but blocking slow fibers onlyseemed to reduce sensitivity to warmth or a smallpainful shock.15 Håkan Olausson and his Gothenburg Universitycolleagues Åke Vallbo and Johan Wessbergwondered if slow fibers responsive to gentle pressuremight be active in humans as well as in othermammals. In 1993, they corralled 28 young20 volunteers and recorded nerve signals while gentlybrushing the subjects’ arms with their fingertips.Using a technique called microneurography, inwhich a fine filament is inserted into a single nerve tocapture its electrical impulses, the scientists were able25 to measure how quickly—or slowly—the nervesfired. They showed that soft stroking promptedtwo different signals, one immediate and onedelayed. The delay, Olausson explains, means thatthe signal from a gentle touch on the forearm will30 reach the brain about a half second later. This delayidentified nerve impulses traveling at speedscharacteristic of slow, unmyelinated fibers—about1 meter/second—confirming the presence of thesefibers in human hairy skin. (In contrast, fast-35 conducting fibers, already known to respond totouch, signal at a rate between 35 and 75 m/s.)Then, in 1999, the group looked more closely atthe characteristics of the slow fibers. They namedthese “low-threshold” nerves “C-tactile,” or CT,40 fibers, said Olausson, because of their “exquisitesensitivity” to slow, gentle tactile stimulation, butunresponsiveness to noxious stimuli like pinpricks.But why exactly humans might have such fibers,which respond only to a narrow range of rather45 subtle stimuli, was initially mystifying. Unlike othertypes of sensory nerves, CT fibers could be foundonly in hairy human skin—such as the forearm andthigh. No amount of gentle stroking of hairless skin,such as the palms and soles of the feet, prompted50 similar activity signatures. Olausson and hiscolleagues decided that these fibers must beconveying a different dimension of sensoryinformation than fast-conducting fibers.Although microneurography can give55 information about how a single nerve responds togentle brushing and pressure, it cannot tease outwhat aspect of sensation that fiber relays, saysOlausson. He wanted to know if that same slownerve can distinguish where the brush touches the60 arm, and whether it can discern the differencebetween a goat-hair brush and a feather. Mostimportantly, could that same fiber convey a pleasantsensation?To address the question, Olausson’s group sought65 out a patient known as G.L. who had an unusualnerve defect. More than 2 decades earlier, she haddeveloped numbness across many parts of her bodyafter taking penicillin to treat a cough and fever.Testing showed that she had lost responsiveness to70 pressure, and a nerve biopsy confirmed that G.L.’squick-conducting fibers were gone, resulting in aninability to sense any pokes, prods, or pinpricksbelow her nose. But she could still sense warmth,suggesting that her slow-conducting unmyelinated75 fibers were intact.Upon recruiting G.L., Olausson tested her bybrushing her arm gently at the speed of between2–10 centimeters per second. She had more troubledistinguishing the direction or pressure of the brush80 strokes than most subjects, but reported feeling apleasant sensation. When the researchers triedbrushing her palm, where CT fibers are not found,she felt nothing.Olausson used functional MRI studies to examine85 which areas of the brain lit up when G.L.’s arm wasgently brushed to activate CT fibers. In normalsubjects, both the somatosensory and insular corticeswere activated, but only the insular cortex [whichprocesses emotion] was active when researchers90 brushed G.L.’s arm. This solidified the notion thatCT fibers convey a more emotional quality of touch,rather than the conscious aspect that helps usdescribe what we are sensing. CT fibers, it seemed,specifically provide pleasurable sensations.Q.According to the passage, G.L. differed from Olausson’s other test subjects in terms of thea)number of cortices activated in the brain during gentle brushing.b)physical dimensions of the somatosensory cortex.c)intensity of nerve signals required to activate the insular cortex.d)effect of MRI scanning on the basic function of brain cortices.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of Question is based on the following passage.This passage is adapted from Sabrina Richards, “Pleasant tothe Touch.” ©2012 by The Scientist.In the early 1990s, textbooks acknowledged thathumans had slow-conducting nerves, but assertedthat those nerves only responded to two types ofLine stimuli: pain and temperature. Sensations of pressure5 and vibration were believed to travel only alongmyelinated, fast-signaling nerve fibers, which alsogive information about location. Experimentsblocking nerve fibers supported this notion.Preventing fast fibers from firing (either by clamping10 the relevant nerve or by injecting the local anestheticlidocaine) seemed to eliminate the sensation ofpressure altogether, but blocking slow fibers onlyseemed to reduce sensitivity to warmth or a smallpainful shock.15 Håkan Olausson and his Gothenburg Universitycolleagues Åke Vallbo and Johan Wessbergwondered if slow fibers responsive to gentle pressuremight be active in humans as well as in othermammals. In 1993, they corralled 28 young20 volunteers and recorded nerve signals while gentlybrushing the subjects’ arms with their fingertips.Using a technique called microneurography, inwhich a fine filament is inserted into a single nerve tocapture its electrical impulses, the scientists were able25 to measure how quickly—or slowly—the nervesfired. They showed that soft stroking promptedtwo different signals, one immediate and onedelayed. The delay, Olausson explains, means thatthe signal from a gentle touch on the forearm will30 reach the brain about a half second later. This delayidentified nerve impulses traveling at speedscharacteristic of slow, unmyelinated fibers—about1 meter/second—confirming the presence of thesefibers in human hairy skin. (In contrast, fast-35 conducting fibers, already known to respond totouch, signal at a rate between 35 and 75 m/s.)Then, in 1999, the group looked more closely atthe characteristics of the slow fibers. They namedthese “low-threshold” nerves “C-tactile,” or CT,40 fibers, said Olausson, because of their “exquisitesensitivity” to slow, gentle tactile stimulation, butunresponsiveness to noxious stimuli like pinpricks.But why exactly humans might have such fibers,which respond only to a narrow range of rather45 subtle stimuli, was initially mystifying. Unlike othertypes of sensory nerves, CT fibers could be foundonly in hairy human skin—such as the forearm andthigh. No amount of gentle stroking of hairless skin,such as the palms and soles of the feet, prompted50 similar activity signatures. Olausson and hiscolleagues decided that these fibers must beconveying a different dimension of sensoryinformation than fast-conducting fibers.Although microneurography can give55 information about how a single nerve responds togentle brushing and pressure, it cannot tease outwhat aspect of sensation that fiber relays, saysOlausson. He wanted to know if that same slownerve can distinguish where the brush touches the60 arm, and whether it can discern the differencebetween a goat-hair brush and a feather. Mostimportantly, could that same fiber convey a pleasantsensation?To address the question, Olausson’s group sought65 out a patient known as G.L. who had an unusualnerve defect. More than 2 decades earlier, she haddeveloped numbness across many parts of her bodyafter taking penicillin to treat a cough and fever.Testing showed that she had lost responsiveness to70 pressure, and a nerve biopsy confirmed that G.L.’squick-conducting fibers were gone, resulting in aninability to sense any pokes, prods, or pinpricksbelow her nose. But she could still sense warmth,suggesting that her slow-conducting unmyelinated75 fibers were intact.Upon recruiting G.L., Olausson tested her bybrushing her arm gently at the speed of between2–10 centimeters per second. She had more troubledistinguishing the direction or pressure of the brush80 strokes than most subjects, but reported feeling apleasant sensation. When the researchers triedbrushing her palm, where CT fibers are not found,she felt nothing.Olausson used functional MRI studies to examine85 which areas of the brain lit up when G.L.’s arm wasgently brushed to activate CT fibers. In normalsubjects, both the somatosensory and insular corticeswere activated, but only the insular cortex [whichprocesses emotion] was active when researchers90 brushed G.L.’s arm. This solidified the notion thatCT fibers convey a more emotional quality of touch,rather than the conscious aspect that helps usdescribe what we are sensing. CT fibers, it seemed,specifically provide pleasurable sensations.Q.According to the passage, G.L. differed from Olausson’s other test subjects in terms of thea)number of cortices activated in the brain during gentle brushing.b)physical dimensions of the somatosensory cortex.c)intensity of nerve signals required to activate the insular cortex.d)effect of MRI scanning on the basic function of brain cortices.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice Question is based on the following passage.This passage is adapted from Sabrina Richards, “Pleasant tothe Touch.” ©2012 by The Scientist.In the early 1990s, textbooks acknowledged thathumans had slow-conducting nerves, but assertedthat those nerves only responded to two types ofLine stimuli: pain and temperature. Sensations of pressure5 and vibration were believed to travel only alongmyelinated, fast-signaling nerve fibers, which alsogive information about location. Experimentsblocking nerve fibers supported this notion.Preventing fast fibers from firing (either by clamping10 the relevant nerve or by injecting the local anestheticlidocaine) seemed to eliminate the sensation ofpressure altogether, but blocking slow fibers onlyseemed to reduce sensitivity to warmth or a smallpainful shock.15 Håkan Olausson and his Gothenburg Universitycolleagues Åke Vallbo and Johan Wessbergwondered if slow fibers responsive to gentle pressuremight be active in humans as well as in othermammals. In 1993, they corralled 28 young20 volunteers and recorded nerve signals while gentlybrushing the subjects’ arms with their fingertips.Using a technique called microneurography, inwhich a fine filament is inserted into a single nerve tocapture its electrical impulses, the scientists were able25 to measure how quickly—or slowly—the nervesfired. They showed that soft stroking promptedtwo different signals, one immediate and onedelayed. The delay, Olausson explains, means thatthe signal from a gentle touch on the forearm will30 reach the brain about a half second later. This delayidentified nerve impulses traveling at speedscharacteristic of slow, unmyelinated fibers—about1 meter/second—confirming the presence of thesefibers in human hairy skin. (In contrast, fast-35 conducting fibers, already known to respond totouch, signal at a rate between 35 and 75 m/s.)Then, in 1999, the group looked more closely atthe characteristics of the slow fibers. They namedthese “low-threshold” nerves “C-tactile,” or CT,40 fibers, said Olausson, because of their “exquisitesensitivity” to slow, gentle tactile stimulation, butunresponsiveness to noxious stimuli like pinpricks.But why exactly humans might have such fibers,which respond only to a narrow range of rather45 subtle stimuli, was initially mystifying. Unlike othertypes of sensory nerves, CT fibers could be foundonly in hairy human skin—such as the forearm andthigh. No amount of gentle stroking of hairless skin,such as the palms and soles of the feet, prompted50 similar activity signatures. Olausson and hiscolleagues decided that these fibers must beconveying a different dimension of sensoryinformation than fast-conducting fibers.Although microneurography can give55 information about how a single nerve responds togentle brushing and pressure, it cannot tease outwhat aspect of sensation that fiber relays, saysOlausson. He wanted to know if that same slownerve can distinguish where the brush touches the60 arm, and whether it can discern the differencebetween a goat-hair brush and a feather. Mostimportantly, could that same fiber convey a pleasantsensation?To address the question, Olausson’s group sought65 out a patient known as G.L. who had an unusualnerve defect. More than 2 decades earlier, she haddeveloped numbness across many parts of her bodyafter taking penicillin to treat a cough and fever.Testing showed that she had lost responsiveness to70 pressure, and a nerve biopsy confirmed that G.L.’squick-conducting fibers were gone, resulting in aninability to sense any pokes, prods, or pinpricksbelow her nose. But she could still sense warmth,suggesting that her slow-conducting unmyelinated75 fibers were intact.Upon recruiting G.L., Olausson tested her bybrushing her arm gently at the speed of between2–10 centimeters per second. She had more troubledistinguishing the direction or pressure of the brush80 strokes than most subjects, but reported feeling apleasant sensation. When the researchers triedbrushing her palm, where CT fibers are not found,she felt nothing.Olausson used functional MRI studies to examine85 which areas of the brain lit up when G.L.’s arm wasgently brushed to activate CT fibers. In normalsubjects, both the somatosensory and insular corticeswere activated, but only the insular cortex [whichprocesses emotion] was active when researchers90 brushed G.L.’s arm. This solidified the notion thatCT fibers convey a more emotional quality of touch,rather than the conscious aspect that helps usdescribe what we are sensing. CT fibers, it seemed,specifically provide pleasurable sensations.Q.According to the passage, G.L. differed from Olausson’s other test subjects in terms of thea)number of cortices activated in the brain during gentle brushing.b)physical dimensions of the somatosensory cortex.c)intensity of nerve signals required to activate the insular cortex.d)effect of MRI scanning on the basic function of brain cortices.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice SAT tests.
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