International Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Open Access

Abstract

Discrimination of Spatial and Temporal Parameters in Electrocutaneous Stimulation

Bo Geng, Senthoopiya Achuthan Paramanathan, Karina Faber Østergaard Pedersen, Mette Vandborg Lauridsen, Julie Gade, Eugen Romulus Lontis and Winnie Jensen

This study aimed to investigate the human ability in discrimination of spatial and temporal parameters in electrocutaneous stimulation. Three surface electrodes were positioned on the ventral forearm of 14 able-bodied subjects. The subjects were instructed to discriminate between: (1) six different stimulation sites or site pairs, or (2) five different stimulation frequencies, or (3) hybrid parameters including both stimulation site and frequency, in three respective experiments. The results showed that two-site discrimination had a significantly lower success rate than one-site discrimination with a mean difference up to 12.1% (p<0.01). Temporal (frequency) discrimination appeared more challenging compared to spatial (site) discrimination. Moreover, the female subjects’ performance was noticeably better than the males in all the three discrimination tasks with the mean difference up to 11.9% (p<0.01), 15.4% (p<0.01), and 16.7% (p<0.001), respectively. The findings may provide an insight into building an effective sensory feedback strategy in relation to development of functional hand prostheses and treatment of phantom limb pain.