Hand or spoon? Exploring the neural basis of affective touch in 5-month-old infants

Pirazzoli, Laura; Lloyd‐Fox, Sarah; Braukmann, Ricarda; Johnson, Mark H.; Gliga, Teodora

doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2018.06.002

Cited by 73 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…The fundamental shift from spontaneous to evoked somatosensory activity occurs in the third trimester (Fabrizi et al, 2011), and after birth, the intensity and valence of touch experiences continue to shape somatosensory development (Maitre et al, 2017). In infants, gentle stroking preferentially activates both S1 and the posterior insular cortex; these regions are slightly different from those activated in adults, which may reflect an experience-dependent shift in the localization of affectionate touch processing (Jönsson et al, 2018;Pirazzoli et al, 2019;Tuulari et al, 2019). Lower-level processes of sensation and perception lay the foundation for development of higher-level cognitive functions, therefore early experiences of touch also contribute toward the maturation of neural circuitry for complex cognitive and social function.…”

Section: A Somatosensory Tuningmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of caregiver touch in early neurodevelopment and parent-infant interactional synchrony

Carozza¹,

Leong²

2020

Preprint

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Though rarely included in studies of parent-infant interactions, affectionate touch plays a unique and vital role in infant development. Previous studies in human and rodent models have established that early and consistent affectionate touch from a caregiver confers wide-ranging and holistic benefits for infant psychosocial and neurophysiological development. We begin by providing a brief review of how affectionate touch tunes the development of infant somatosensory, autonomic (stress regulation) and immune systems. Affective touch also plays a foundational role in the establishment of social affiliative bonds and early psychosocial behavior. These touch-related bonding effects are known to be mediated primarily by the oxytocin system, but touch also activates mesocorticolimbic dopamine and endogenous opioid systems which aid the development of social cognitive processes such as social learning and reward processing. We conclude by proposing a unique role for affectionate touch as an essential pathway to establishing and maintaining parent-infant interactional synchrony at behavioural, physiological and neural levels. The limitations of the current understanding of affectionate touch in infant development point to fruitful avenues for future research.

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Section: A Somatosensory Tuningmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of caregiver touch in early neurodevelopment and parent-infant interactional synchrony

Carozza¹,

Leong²

2020

Preprint

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“…Moreover, a recent study reported activation of insular cortex in response to affective touch from 2 months of life (Jönsson et al, 2018) suggesting that infants are sensitive to interoceptive properties of affective touch from the earlies stages of life. However, other evidence suggest that the specialization of cortical processing of affective touch might still be ongoing during early infancy (Kida and Shinohara, 2013;Miguel et al, 2017;Pirazzoli et al, 2019). Thus, it is possible that while cortical responses to touch velocity, which selectively activate the C-tactile system, are already evident soon after birth (Jönsson et al, 2018), sensitivity to other perceptual properties that convey specific information about human contact, such as texture, body, and temperature, require more time to develop (Pirazzoli et al, 2019).…”

Section: Groupmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, other evidence suggest that the specialization of cortical processing of affective touch might still be ongoing during early infancy (Kida and Shinohara, 2013;Miguel et al, 2017;Pirazzoli et al, 2019). Thus, it is possible that while cortical responses to touch velocity, which selectively activate the C-tactile system, are already evident soon after birth (Jönsson et al, 2018), sensitivity to other perceptual properties that convey specific information about human contact, such as texture, body, and temperature, require more time to develop (Pirazzoli et al, 2019). According to a neurocostructivism perspective, early interoceptive sensitivity to affective touch may undergo a gradual process of functional specialization and cortical localization that provide the neurophysiological foundation for the emergence of socio-affective meaning of interpersonal contact (Johnson, 2001(Johnson, , 2011.…”

Section: Groupmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synchrony of Caresses: Does Affective Touch Help Infants to Detect Body-Related Visual–Tactile Synchrony?

et al. 2020

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Bodily self-awareness, that is the ability to sense and recognize our body as our own, involves the encoding and integration of a wide range of multisensory and motor signals. Infants' abilities to detect synchrony and bind together sensory information in time and space critically contribute to the process of gradual bodily self-awareness. In particular, early tactile experiences may have a crucial role in promoting self-other differentiation and developing bodily self-awareness. More specifically affective touch, slow and gentle touch linked to the neurophysiologically specialized system of C-tactile afferents, provides both information about the body from within (interoception) and outside (exteroception), suggesting it may be a key component contributing to the experience of bodily self-awareness. The present study aimed to investigate the role of affective touch in the formation and modulation of body perception from the earliest stages of life. Using a preferential looking task, 5-month-old infants were presented with synchronous and asynchronous visuo-tactile body-related stimuli. The socio-affective valence of the tactile stimuli was manipulated by means of the velocity [CT-optimal (slow) touch vs. CT-suboptimal (fast) touch] and the source of touch (human hand vs. brush). For the first time, we show that only infants that were stroked using a brush at slow velocity displayed a preference for the visual-tactile synchronous video, suggesting that CT-optimal touch might help infants to detect body-related visual-tactile synchrony, independently from the source of touch. Our results are in line with findings from adults and indicate that affective touch might have a critical role in the early development of bodily self-awareness.

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“…This link is partially explained by sensitive and responsive parenting behaviours, as mothers tend to use different types of touch as a function of the type of cue communicated by the infant and as a result of the infant's temperament or disposition (Ferber et al, ). As argued, the study of emotional and motivational aspects of touch, which has been referred to as affective touch (see McGlone et al, ), has been emphasized in recent years (see Cascio et al, for a review) as well as the neurophysiological underpinnings of affective touch in early experience in humans (see for example Jönsson et al, ; Pirazzoli, Lloyd Fox, Braukmann, Johnson, & Gliga, ; Tuulari et al, ). However, despite this recent work, as stated, there is an overall failure of the attachment and maternal sensitivity literature to include the type of precise definition of touch present in other disciplines of science.…”

Section: Touch In Human Primatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The untenable omission of touch in maternal sensitivity and attachment research

Botero

Langley

Venta

2019

Infant and Child Development

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Despite an increase in research examining maternal and infant touch, and documenting its public health impact, this mode of interaction has historically been omitted from related fields of developmental research in human and non‐human primates. The broad aim of this review is to examine to what extent mother–infant touch has been included in relational paradigms and research. We argue that although theoretical and empirical scholarship on attachment and maternal sensitivity conceptualizes touch as fundamental to caregiver–infant interactions and child development more broadly, touch is rarely operationalized or measured in caregiver–infant interaction paradigms or clinical interventions. Data from primarily human, but also non‐human, primates are reviewed to document the importance of touch, and clinical research is reviewed to document the formal use of touch in human attachment and sensitivity research and intervention. The review closes with recommended directions for future research and related implications. Highlights Review examining to what extent mother–infant touch has been included in relational paradigms and research across human and non‐human primates. Data from studies in human attachment, sensitivity research and intervention, and mother–infant interaction in non‐human primates are reviewed. Touch is theoretically essential, but practically excluded, from attachment coding, maternal sensitivity research, and intervention paradigms. Recommended directions for future research are provided.

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Hand or spoon? Exploring the neural basis of affective touch in 5-month-old infants

Cited by 73 publications

References 46 publications

The role of caregiver touch in early neurodevelopment and parent-infant interactional synchrony

The role of caregiver touch in early neurodevelopment and parent-infant interactional synchrony

Synchrony of Caresses: Does Affective Touch Help Infants to Detect Body-Related Visual–Tactile Synchrony?

The untenable omission of touch in maternal sensitivity and attachment research

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