A SYSTEM OF UNMYELINATED AFFERENTS FOR INNOCUOUS MECHANORECEPTION IN THE HUMAN SKIN

It is generally held that tactile mechanisms in the human skin are ser ved by fast-conducting myelinated nerve fibres, whereas touch-sensitiv e afferents with unmyelinated axons are lacking in man, in contrast to other mammals. In the present study we found evidence that sensitive mechanoreceptive afferents with unmyelinated fibres are quite common a nd widespread in the hairy skin of human subjects. Their biological ro le remains an enigma which might attract more attention now that their existence in man has been demonstrated.