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London (pte033/01.07.2005/13:51) - A new study, recently published in the journal Current Biology http://www.current-biology.com , shows that expected sensations, such as one's own touch, are noticed less by the brain so that it can focus on other, more important sensations, thus rendering it impossible to tickle oneself.
The study involved a computer-controlled device that could introduce delays of varying length, which was placed over the left finger, when tapped. When the right finger touched the device, a tap was relayed. Another button allowed tapping from the scientists. The response from the 30 people involved showed that self-tapping was registered less than when the tap came from somewhere else.
The conclusion drawn was that an expected tap was less noticed by the brain.
Paul Bays of the Institute of Neurology at University College London http://www.ion.ucl.ac.uk said: "It lends support to the theory that the brain is constantly predicting what is about to happen, what sensations it's about to receive."
Information received from the senses is slightly delayed, as it takes time for the electrical signals to travel from finger, ear or eye to the brain.
"Although this delay is only a fraction of a second, that is long enough to make impossible anything that involves accurate control over our bodies or moving objects, such as catching a ball," Bays said. "By combining what our senses are telling us with a prediction of what we expect to be happening we can get an accurate picture of the current state of our bodies and the outside world."
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