Electroencephalography of Touch

Abstract

Electroencephalography (EEG) is one of the major tools to non-invasively investigate cortical activations from somatosensation in humans. EEG is useful for delineating influences on the processing pathways of tactile stimulation and for mapping the dynamics between the cortical areas involved in and linked to tactile perception. This chapter focuses on the process of recording somatosensory EEG from mechanical tactile stimulation, including affective touch, and their related cortical activations. Practical and participant-specific challenges are detailed, and best practices are shared. In addition, the main areas of research in tactile perception using EEG are discussed. These include perception, attention, and multisensory perception, as well as emotional and self-other processing. We discuss the major considerations when conducting these types of research.