Aspasia Eleni Paltoglou
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1
Total Citations
23
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About
Dr. Aspasia Eleni Paltoglou is a leading researcher in affective neuroscience, with a particular focus on the neurobiological underpinnings of social and emotional touch. Her work centers on the role of C-tactile (CT) afferents—low-threshold mechanosensory fibers that respond optimally to gentle, caress-like touch—and their contribution to affective processing and social bonding. In her highly cited 2023 study, "Hold me or stroke me? Individual differences in static and dynamic affective touch" (23 citations), Dr. Paltoglou explores how individual variations shape the perception of both static and dynamic touch, advancing the social touch hypothesis. This hypothesis posits that CT fibers are specialized for encoding the emotional significance of touch, linking physical sensation to brain regions involved in affect and reward. Her work has profound implications for understanding human connection, as well as for therapeutic applications in conditions where social touch is disrupted, such as autism or depression. Through her rigorous experimental designs, Dr. Paltoglou continues to illuminate how a simple caress can shape our emotional lives.
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