As I scan research on a regular basis I often find information that supports massage practice. Many times we don't understand the research because we are unfamiliar with the terminology being used. In this abstract I had to convert Newtons (N) to pounds and velocity to distance in inches per second. As professional massage therapists we need to wade through research and find the relevance. I was able to find conversion tables on the internet. Took some time for me to sort it out so I did this one for ya.
Neuroimage. 2012 Feb 15;59(4):3427-32. Epub 2011 Nov 10.
Pleasant human touch is represented in pregenual anterior
cingulate cortex.
Lindgren L, Westling G, Brulin C, Lehtipalo S, Andersson M,
Nyberg L.
Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Sweden.
lenita.lindgren@nurs.umu.se
Abstract
Touch massage (TM) is a form of pleasant touch stimulation
used as treatment in clinical settings and found to improve well-being and
decrease anxiety, stress, and pain. Emotional responses reported during and
after TM have been studied, but the underlying mechanisms are still largely
unexplored. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) to test
the hypothesis that the combination of human touch (i.e. skin-to-skin contact)
with movement is eliciting a specific response in brain areas coding for
pleasant sensations. The design included four different touch conditions; human
touch with or without movement and rubber glove with or without movement. Force
(2.5 N) ABOUT ½ POUNDS OF PRESSURE and velocity (1.5 cm/s ABOUT ½ INCH PER
SECOND were held constant across
conditions. The pleasantness of the four different touch stimulations was rated
on a visual analog scale (VAS-scale) and human touch was rated as most
pleasant, particularly in combination with movement. The fMRI results revealed
that TM stimulation most strongly activated the pregenual anterior cingulate
cortex (pgACC). These results are consistent with findings showing pgACC
activation during various rewarding pleasant stimulations. This area is also
known to be activated by both opioid analgesia and placebo. Together with these
prior results, our finding furthers the understanding of the basis for positive
TM treatment effects.
SANDY COMMENTS -THE MASSAGE APPLICATION WAS ½ LB OF PRESSURE
AND WOULD DENT THE SKIN AND THE SPEED WAS ½ INCH PER SECOND AND CONSIDERED
SLOW. IN MY TEXTBOOKS I WOULD DESCRIBE
THIS AS A PALLIATIVE, PLEASURE-BASED MASSAGE (NONFRAGILE CLIENT). IT APPEARS THAT SKIN TO SKIN CONTACT WITH
MOVEMENT IS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE BEST RESULTS.
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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