Naked Science Forum

General Science => Question of the Week => Topic started by: EvaH on 20/04/2020 10:17:42

Title: QotW - 20.04.12 - Do we all have the same number of nerve endings in our skin?
Post by: EvaH on 20/04/2020 10:17:42

Matt wants to know:

Do all humans have the same number of nerve endings in their skin, and if so, do those of us who are bigger, either taller or fatter, have reduced sensitivity in a given area of skin?

What do you think?

Title: Re: QotW - 20.04.12 - Do we all have the same number of nerve endings in our skin?
Post by: evan_au on 20/04/2020 11:01:23

Even the same human doesn't have the same concentration of nerve endings in their skin.

The tongue, lips, and hands have particularly high concentrations of sensory nerve cells.
- These sensory nerves feed into a strip of the brain; the amount of brain allocated to each region differs enormously
- This is represented in three dimensions by building a little statue (homunculus), with proportions given by their relative volume in the brain.

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortical_homunculus#Discovery

Title: Re: QotW - 20.04.12 - Do we all have the same number of nerve endings in our skin?
Post by: EvaH on 26/05/2020 16:40:43

Asked and answered! You can listen in here:

https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts/question-week/do-we-all-have-same-skin-sensitivity