Long Term Cosmetic Application Improves Tactile Discrimination in the Elderly; a New Psychophysical Approach

• Published in: Frontiers in aging neuroscience Vol. 11; p. 164
• Main Authors: Aimonetti, Jean-Marc, Deshayes, Claire, Crest, Marcel, Cornuault, Pierre-Henri, Weiland, Benjamin, Ribot-Ciscar, Edith
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Research Foundation 28.06.2019; Frontiers; Frontiers Media S.A
• Subjects: Acuity; Age; Cognitive science; cosmetic; Cosmetics; Geriatrics; haptic touch; Hydration; Mechanical properties; Neuroscience; Older people; Psychophysics; Rehabilitation; Skin; skin aging; Tactile discrimination; France; cosmetic; haptic touch; skin aging; psychophysics; tactile discrimination
• ISSN: 1663-4365; 1663-4365
• DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00164

: Tactile sensitivity is impaired in older adults, which contributes to the loss of manual dexterity and mobility function. The reliability of classical psychophysical tests, such as two-point gap discrimination, has been questioned. Here we tested a new method to determine tactile acuity during dynamic touch, which is more functional than static touch. The aim was to validate a method providing a high level of discrimination of tactile acuity in the elderly. : We tested the ability of subjects to evaluate the distance between bands printed on poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) sheets. Pairs of sheets were compared in two groups of participants aged from 60 to 74 years; the test group was required to apply a cosmetic foam with an active ingredient on both their hands twice a day for 1 month, the control group had an identical task but used the same cosmetic foam without any active ingredient. The tests were run in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. : The tactile discrimination threshold decreased by 83 μm after 1 month of cosmetic application in the group using the active ingredient, while it was unchanged in the control group. : The test presented here provided highly accurate results and should be useful to determine tactile performance. It allows the monitoring of tactile rehabilitation and/or skin treatments used to restore tactile acuity in the elderly.