Extinction
- If the individual cannot perceive two simultaneous touches, the stimulus felt is said to “extinguish” the second stimulus. This is referred to as extinction and is indicative of a central nervous system lesion.
- An individual who has had a stroke may have touch awareness in the involved limb(s) but may not be able to perceive touch in the uninvolved limb(s) when simultaneously touched on the contralateral side. This occurs because a higher level of sensory integration is required to perceive simultaneous touch bilaterally.
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