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  4. QotW - 20.04.12 - Do we all have the same number of nerve endings in our skin?
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QotW - 20.04.12 - Do we all have the same number of nerve endings in our skin?

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Offline EvaH (OP)

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QotW - 20.04.12 - Do we all have the same number of nerve endings in our skin?
« 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?
« Last Edit: 29/04/2020 08:17:46 by chris »
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Offline evan_au

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Re: QotW - 20.04.12 - Do we all have the same number of nerve endings in our skin?
« Reply #1 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
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Re: QotW - 20.04.12 - Do we all have the same number of nerve endings in our skin?
« Reply #2 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
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