The somatosensory system involves the sense of touch, and the term haptic perception includes how objects are recognized by touch, as well as their spatial relations. In an interesting parallel with visual processing, there is evidence that the brain contains two pathways for information about touch, one for perceiving 'what' an object is, and the other for 'where' it is. This project will utilize current imaging technology (brain scanning by fMRI and MEG techniques) with human subjects to identify and localize the neural activity in tasks designed to utilize primarily one or the other pathway in response to tactile stimuli. Differences in the two types of tactile processing will reflect functional specialization in the somatosensory system. This award is in the Professional Opportunities for Women in Research & Education (POWRE) activity of NSF. It will provide a young woman a unique opportunity a a different campus to broaden her technical expertise in the field of cognitive neuroscience by getting training in neuroimaging, and bring that expertise back to enhance her teaching and research at her home institution, and so will have a significant impact on her career and on the home institution. The scientific results also will have an impact because a better understanding of haptic perception is important to sensory neuroscience in general, and could lead to substantial advances in artificial or assistive technologies, such as aids for the blind and for robotics.
