Helena Backlund Wasling

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Dr. Helena Backlund Wasling is a leading neuroscientist whose research illuminates the neural underpinnings of affective touch and tactile perception. Her work has fundamentally advanced our understanding of how the skin’s architecture—specifically human hair follicle density—modulates the sensation of pleasant, gentle stroking. In her highly cited 2017 study (58 citations), she demonstrated that unmyelinated C-tactile (CT) afferents, which respond optimally to slow stroking velocities (1–10 cm/s), are intimately linked to hair follicle distribution, suggesting that follicles serve as critical mechanosensory structures for encoding social and emotional touch in humans. This finding bridges rodent models and human experience, revealing a specialized system for processing affiliative contact. Dr. Wasling’s contributions have reshaped the field of somatosensory research, providing a biological basis for the therapeutic potential of touch. Her work is essential reading for students and researchers exploring the intersection of dermatology, affective neuroscience, and sensory physiology, offering profound insights into how our skin’s most subtle features shape our emotional lives.