Sensory Modulation

  Sensory is a system in the body that uses a process of sensory receptors which can detect the senses; olfactory (smell), tactile (touch), gustatory (taste), auditory (hearing) and vision (sight). With sensory modulation there are two more senses that they are; proprioception (track where you are in space), vestibular (position in relation to the rest of the body).  Modulation is a process by which a person is able to adjust him or herself to the environment to match a social or contextual situation (Lane, 2010).

 Sensory modulation is a part of sensory processing; this begins with sensory input from receptors this information is then transcribed to the central nervous system (CNS).  From here the sensory information can be strengthened, weakened or inhibited (Lane, 2010). Sensory modulation is when the CNS is able to normalize excitatory and inhibitory sensory signals from external and internal senses.

 Sensory modulation can be seen through a persons behaviors and can be observed by; “responses that match the demands and expectations of the environment” (Lane, 2002).  Behavior can be a reproduction of processing sensory input and the ability of the person’s central nervous system to process and modulate this sensory information.  An example of this from Shelley Lane’s article is a “child sucking his or her thumb to settle down before going to sleep, “ (Lane 2010), this is an example of behavioral modulation. Habituation in sensory modulation is when you may initially attend to something such as a sound but as you get used to it, you no longer pay attention to it. Habituation allows people to ignore irrelevant information and be able to focus on what is more important at that time, (Lane 2010).

           

  The foundation of knowledge for sensory modulation and associated disorders has come from the work of Jean Aryes. Jean had worked extensively with children that have had sensory modulation difficulties, on theory and treatment this was started in the 1950’s.  The terminology used in relation with sensory modulation disorders are; sensory integration, tactile defensiveness, sensory defensiveness, sensory over-responsive, sensory under-responsive, sensory seeking. Classification of sensory modulation disorders can come under an umbrella term of sensory processing disorders, (Lane, 2010)

Lane, S., Lynn, J., & Reynolds, S. (2010). Sensory Modulation: A Neuroscience and Behavioral Overview. OT Practice, 15(21).