The C-Tactile System and the Neurobiological Mechanisms of “Affective” Tactile Perception: The History of Discoveries and the Current State of Research

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of close contacts with other people for emotional wellbeing in humans, though the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the aspects of tactile perception have only recently been established. The last 30 years have seen the discovery and description of a specialized system unifying highly sensitive mechanoreceptors connected with unmyelinated type C fibers and undergoing the greatest level of activation in response to gentle, slow touch. This system supports the production of positive emotional feelings in response to social tactile contacts (touching, embracing, stroking). This review addresses the history of the discovery of the C-tactile system, the current state of research, and the potential significance of this area of neurobiology in our understanding of the importance of bodily contacts and the characteristics of tactile perception for psychoemotional and social development in health and various mental disorders.