Soft tactile stimulation engages parabrachial circuits traditionally associated with aversion
Fredrik Anesten, Sara Simfors, Konstantina Ioneskou, Martin Hezso, B Gündogdu, Anita Tran, Alexander Stjernvall, Valeria Ratiglia, Aaisha Almasri, Line S. Löken
The paper shows that soft tactile stimulation activates parabrachial circuits, including CGRP neurons, which are typically linked to aversion, indicating these pathways may encode affective significance of touch.
bioRxiv · Mar 18, 2026 · PreprintNeuroscience