The Handbook of Touch

Book excerpt: "This book is excellent in its coverage of neurobiological underpinnings through perception, measurement, and communication...a great resource for researchers and clinicians." Score: 94, 4 stars. --Doody's Medical Reviews "This is an expertly constructed volume, due mainly to an expert composition of authors forthe individual chapters. Every chapter is like opening a door to a different laboratory, eachexamining a unique corner of the tactile research universe."--PsycCRITIQUES "...a solid, authoritative resource."--New Hampshire Nurses Association Touch has received increased attention over the last few decades, with growing recognition of its profound import to all facets of life. The Handbook of Touch is the first authoritative, state-of-the-art resource for scientists, scholars, and students interested in the neurobehavioral foundations of touch and its many applications. This text provides an in-depth overview of the conceptual and empirical scope of the field. Chapters are written by a cadre of internationally known experts on touch, representing an expansive breadth of knowledge from behavioral, health, and neuroscience disciplines. Key Features: Integrates knowledge regarding the neurobiology of touch, covering the spectrum from skin physiology and somatosensory pathways to touch-related genes and proteins Synthesizes research about the neural processing and perception of touch Describes diverse methods for measuring touch behavior and human response to touch Discusses the role of touch in social communication, along with the influence of context and culture Presents cutting edge research that links touch to brain organization and plasticity, human development, and varied dimensions of health