tactile afferent
Computational Models for SA, RA, PC Afferent to Reproduce Neural Responses to Dynamic Stimulus Using FEM Analysis and a Leaky Integrate-and-Fire Model
Ishizuka, Hiroki, Kitaguchi, Shoki, Nakatani, Masashi, Yoshimura, Hidenori, Shimokawa, Fusao
Tactile afferents such as (RA), and Pacinian (PC) afferents that respond to external stimuli enable complicated actions such as grasping, stroking and identifying an object. To understand the tactile sensation induced by these actions deeply, the activities of the tactile afferents need to be revealed. For this purpose, we develop a computational model for each tactile afferent for vibration stimuli, combining finite element analysis finite element method (FEM) analysis and a leaky integrate-and-fire model that represents the neural characteristics. This computational model can easily estimate the neural activities of the tactile afferents without measuring biological data. Skin deformation calculated using FEM analysis is substituted into the integrate-and-fire model as current input to calculate the membrane potential of each tactile afferent. We optimized parameters in the integrate-and-fire models using reported biological data. Then, we calculated the responses of the numerical models to sinusoidal, diharmonic, and white-noise-like mechanical stimuli to validate the proposed numerical models. From the result, the computational models well reproduced the neural responses to vibration stimuli such as sinusoidal, diharmonic, and noise stimuli and compare favorably with the similar computational models that can simulate the responses to vibration stimuli. Introduction Our tactile senses can perceive not only the shape and material of an object but also the texture of an object, enabling us to perform actions such as grasping, stroking, and identifying an object. Tactile afferents located in the skin that respond to external stimuli enable these complicated actions. Usually, sensory evaluations are performed to interpret the tactile sensation induced by these actions. To understand the perceived tactile sensation quantitatively, it is necessary to reveal the relationship between the skin deformation induced by an object and the activities of tactile afferents in the skin. Of note, there are two possible methods to understand how the tactile afferents are activated: the first is to directly measure the action potential of tactile afferents by inserting electrodes into nerve fibers [1-3].
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