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Title: How Your Sense of Touch Can Change Your Brain
Your brain can be divided into various areas, one of which is responsible for your sense of touch. This part of your brain can be divided into even smaller areas that communicate with each body part. We can use a special map of the human body, called a sensory homunculus, to help us understand the various sizes of these parts of the brain. We will explain how this map was created and tell you about research showing how these brain areas can change. One study showed that brain areas can be recycled, meaning that the brain areas that no longer receive messages from the body can be used by other functioning brain areas. Another study showed that these changes can even occur within a single day! These studies can help scientists to better understand the brain and to help people who have problems with the sense of touch.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2145412
PAR ID:
10416806
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Frontiers for Young Minds
Volume:
10
ISSN:
2296-6846
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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