Study shows sense of touch arises in the brain before birth
A team of researchers at the Institute of Neurosciences of Alicante of the ISIC in Spain has found that the sense of touch arises in the brain before birth—at least in mice. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group outlines their study of the embryonic stages of the development of the brain in mice and what they learned from it.
The development of a sense of touch has been studied by scientists for many years, but how it develops is still unclear. Prior research has shown that once it has developed, it exists as a sort of map imprinted on the cerebral cortex. Some have suggested that a basic map is created in the brain before birth and data points for it are added as newborns develop—sensory input from various body parts is simply added to the map. But now, that view might have to change, as the team in Spain reports evidence that suggests the map is already in place by the time a...
Dr. Joel Beeke | 1/4/2009
