SOMAESTHESIA Meaning and
Definition
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Somaesthesia, also referred to as somatosensation, is a branch of sensory perception that encompasses the human ability to interpret and perceive physical sensations from the body and its environment. It involves the reception, processing, and integration of various sensory information originating from the skin, muscles, joints, tendons, and other tissues, as well as from internal organs. This sensory system helps individuals recognize and respond to different tactile, proprioceptive, thermoreceptive, and nociceptive stimuli.
Tactile sensations primarily involve the perception of touch, pressure, vibration, and texture. Proprioceptive sensations contribute to body awareness and position sense, allowing individuals to sense the relative positions and movements of different body parts. Thermoreceptive sensations are responsible for the perception of temperature changes, distinguishing between hot and cold stimuli. Nociceptive sensations, on the other hand, help individuals detect and respond to potentially damaging or harmful stimuli, such as pain and discomfort.
The somaesthetic system consists of specialized receptors, called somatosensory receptors, which are distributed throughout the body. These receptors convert physical stimuli into electrical signals that are then transmitted to the central nervous system, where they are processed and integrated. The primary areas of the brain responsible for somaesthesia are the somatosensory cortices located in the parietal lobes.
Overall, somaesthesia is crucial for the perception, discrimination, and interpretation of physical sensations, allowing individuals to navigate and interact with their surroundings, as well as to maintain overall bodily homeostasis and well-being.
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A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for SOMAESTHESIA
- aomaesthesia
- zomaesthesia
- xomaesthesia
- domaesthesia
- eomaesthesia
- womaesthesia
- simaesthesia
- skmaesthesia
- slmaesthesia
- spmaesthesia
- s0maesthesia
- s9maesthesia
- sonaesthesia
- sokaesthesia
- sojaesthesia
- somzesthesia
- somsesthesia
- somaesghesia
- somaes6hesia
- somaeshesia
Etymology of SOMAESTHESIA
The word "somaesthesia" is derived from the combination of two Greek roots: "soma" and "aesthesis".
1. "Soma" (σῶμα) means "body" in Greek.
2. "Aesthesis" (αἴσθησις) means "perception" or "sensation" in Greek.
When combined, "somaesthesia" refers to the perception or sensation of the body or body-related experiences.
Similar spelling words for SOMAESTHESIA
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