Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30562526›Full record

ArticleCurrent biology : CB2018

Stroking modulates noxious-evoked brain activity in human infants.

Deniz Gursul, Sezgi Goksan, Caroline Hartley, Gabriela Schmidt Mellado, Fiona Moultrie, Amy Hoskin, Eleri Adams, Gareth Hathway, Susannah Walker, Francis McGlone and 1 more

Registry-linked trialOpen access · hybridAbstract readLetter
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Current biology : CB, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05039918 (The Healing Power of Touch), which is not on this map. Cited by 47 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
47citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
16.7field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT05039918 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2021, after this paper: background citation

The Healing Power of Touch: Investigation of a Peripheral Neurological Mechanism for Reducing Pain and Enhancing Neurodevelopmental Outcomes

TypeinterventionalSponsorLiverpool John Moores UniversityRan2021 to 2022Enrolled40ConditionsPremature Birth, Infant Development, PainArmsAffective touch
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

47 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 100 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. A clinical trial on pelvic floor sensory testing in women with and without stress urinary incontinence.Zhong nan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Central South University. Medical sciences · 2024
    Trial
  3. Trial
  4. Trial
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Observational
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Touch as emotion regulation.Frontiers in psychology · 2025
    Review
  13. Correction.Current topics in behavioral neurosciences · 2025
    Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Review
  17. Article
  18. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Deniz GursulDepartment of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
Sezgi GoksanDepartment of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
Caroline HartleyDepartment of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
Gabriela Schmidt MelladoDepartment of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
Fiona MoultrieDepartment of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
Amy HoskinDepartment of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
Eleri AdamsDepartment of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
Gareth HathwaySchool of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK.
Susannah WalkerDepartment of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK.
Francis McGloneDepartment of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK; Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK.
Rebeccah SlaterDepartment of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK. Electronic address: Rebeccah.slater@paediatrics.ox.ac.uk.
University of Oxford · GBLiverpool John Moores University · GBUniversity of Liverpool · GBUniversity of Nottingham · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

A subclass of C fibre sensory neurons found in hairy skin are activated by gentle touch [1] and respond optimally to stroking at ∼1-10 cm/s, serving a protective function by promoting affiliative behaviours. In adult humans, stimulation of these C-tactile (CT) afferents is pleasant, and can reduce pain perception [2]. Touch-based techniques, such as infant massage and kangaroo care, are designed to comfort infants during procedures, and a modest reduction in pain-related behavioural and physiological responses has been observed in some studies [3]. Here, we investigated whether touch can reduce noxious-evoked brain activity. We demonstrate that stroking (at 3 cm/s) prior to an experimental noxious stimulus or clinical heel lance can attenuate noxious-evoked brain activity in infants. CT fibres may represent a biological target for non-pharmacological interventions that modulate pain in early life.

Indexed as

BrainElectroencephalographyFemaleHairHumansInfant, NewbornMaleNerve Fibers, UnmyelinatedSensory Receptor CellsSkinSkin Physiological PhenomenaTouchTouch Perception

Identifiers

PMID30562526
PMCPMC6303187
OpenAlexW2905455218

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.