In 1971, Ian Waterman suddenly collapsed from a severe case of what seemed to be gastric flu. His illness passed after a few days, but a stranger set of symptoms lingered. Although his muscles and joints remained healthy, Waterman was unable to move. In fact, he was unable to feel anything from the neck down. Eventually, he was diagnosed with a rare and extreme form of deafferentation, a neurological condition in which certain signals from the nervous system are interrupted or impaired. Without his body's constant feedback on how his limbs were moving, Waterman was unable to sit up, stand, or walk. But over time, he taught himself to use sight to judge the distance of his limbs from other objects. And eventually he regained complete control of his body— so long as he could see it.

1971 年，伊恩·沃特曼突然病倒， 他以為是腸胃炎導(dǎo)致的。 幾天后，癥狀消退了， 但他感到身體有些異樣。 盡管沃特曼的肌肉 和關(guān)節(jié)狀況良好， 但他無法移動身體了。 實(shí)際的狀況是： 他從脖子以下沒有任何感知。 最后，他被診斷患了一種極其罕見 的傳入神經(jīng)阻滯疾病， 這是一種神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)疾病， 這意味著神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)中的部分 傳輸信號中斷或受到了損傷。 由于沃特曼失去了 四肢活動時慣常的感知， 他無法坐、無法站、 也無法走路。 但多年后，他逐漸學(xué)會了 使用目光來判斷 自己的肢體與其他物體之間的距離。 最終，他又重新獲得了 自由移動身體的能力， 前提是他能看見周圍的事物。

We often don’t think of touch as being a vital part of movement. But touch is just one part of the somatosensory system, a network that oversees all the sensations arising from the surface and interior of our bodies. Touch, pain, temperature, and our awareness of our bodies in space— also known as proprioception— are regulated by this system. And when something goes wrong, the effects can be dramatic.

我們一般不會認(rèn)為觸覺 在日常生活中起到多大作用。 雖然觸覺僅僅只是 軀體感覺系統(tǒng)的一部分， 呈網(wǎng)絡(luò)狀， 但統(tǒng)籌著身體表面 與身體內(nèi)部產(chǎn)生的所有感覺。 我們的觸覺、痛感、體溫 和空間感知 統(tǒng)稱為本體感覺， 也是由軀體感覺系統(tǒng)來調(diào)節(jié)的。 當(dāng)哪個部分出了問題時， 會對人體產(chǎn)生巨大的影響。

All these sensations are processed by millions of tiny receptor cells embedded in our skin, muscles, tendons, and organs. Every square centimeter of our skin is packed with hundreds of these cells, and their shape, size, and depth determine what kind of stimuli they respond to.

成千上萬微小的受體細(xì)胞 處理著所有這些感覺， 深入我們的皮膚、肌肉、 肌腱和各個器官。 我們身上每平方厘米皮膚 都充滿了成百上千個這樣的細(xì)胞， 這些細(xì)胞的形狀、大小和厚度 決定了這些細(xì)胞對哪種刺激有反應(yīng)。

Mechanoreceptors sense mechanical deformation of the skin. This could be triggered by low or high frequency vibrations, a stretch, or simply light, static pressure. Thermoreceptors respond to temperature changes, while nociceptors sense pain. And propriocepters sit deep in your muscles and tendons, continually detecting and relaying information about the position of your body. Your brain then combines this information with other sensory data to move through space without needing to see your limbs.

機(jī)械感受器會檢測并記錄 皮膚機(jī)械變形的情況。 這可能會由低頻或高頻的感受、 拉伸，或僅僅由輕微 的靜態(tài)壓力所引發(fā)。 溫度感受器對溫度變化有反應(yīng)， 而傷害感受器會感知到疼痛。 本體感受器存在于肌肉和肌腱底層， 持續(xù)不斷地探測傳遞 與身體位置相關(guān)的信息。 然后，大腦就會將 這類信息與其他感官數(shù)據(jù)結(jié)合， 讓人可以在空間中自由移動， 而不用看見肢體的位置。

All of these receptors work by sending electrical signals to the brain through fibers they’re attached to. And the speed of those signals varies with the fiber’s thickness. For example, some nociceptors are attached to fibers with slightly more conductive, fatty myelin than others. So when you get hurt, the electrical impulses from thicker nociceptors trigger sharp, intense pain, while thin, unmyelinated nociceptors are responsible for the dull, aching pain that follows. And since the fibers carrying tactile information are much thicker than those carrying nociceptive signals, rubbing an injury can produce temporary relief from the pain

所有這些感受器通過 向大腦發(fā)送電信號來工作， 經(jīng)由所依附的神經(jīng)纖維。 這些信號的速度 與神經(jīng)纖維的厚度有關(guān)。 例如，有些傷害感受器 依附于神經(jīng)纖維， 就會更具有傳導(dǎo)作用， 髓磷脂所富含的脂肪也更多一些。 所以當(dāng)你受傷時， 具有更厚質(zhì)的傷害感受器 所傳導(dǎo)的電脈沖 就會引發(fā)強(qiáng)烈的劇痛， 而薄質(zhì)且無髓鞘的傷害感受器 則會產(chǎn)生隱隱的酸痛。 而且由于帶有觸覺信息的神經(jīng)纖維 比帶有損傷性信號 的纖維要更厚一些， 摩擦傷口反而可能暫時不會那么疼。

These receptors generate a constant flood of signals that travel through the nervous system to the brain. But if this process is disrupted— either by damage to the skin, the nerves, or the brain— the network breaks down. And since it underpins so many bodily functions, damage to the somatosensory system can manifest in a wide variety of ways.

這些感受器會產(chǎn)生持續(xù)的信號流， 通過神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)傳輸?shù)酱竽X。 但如果這個過程受到干擾， 不管是皮膚受傷， 還是神經(jīng)或大腦受到了損傷， 這種信號傳輸?shù)倪^程就無法進(jìn)行。 而且由于很多身體功能都依賴于 這種信號傳輸， 軀體感覺系統(tǒng)會產(chǎn)生 各種不同的損傷。

In Waterman’s case, an autoimmune reaction attacked a large swath of his nervous system, leaving him with no tactile or proprioceptive sensations from the neck down. But deafferentation is just one of many somatosensory disorders. Individuals can receive damage to a specific brain area or a section of skin, resulting in the loss of certain sensations in particular locations. And the impact of this loss can be significant. Losing tactile sensations makes it difficult to gauge how much strength to use in a situation. Without the warning signals provided by thermal and pain stimuli, we don’t react when our bodies are damaged. And, being deprived of social touch can cause a condition known as touch starvation, characterized by anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, and even a weakened immune system.

在沃特曼這個案例中， 自身免疫反應(yīng) 攻擊了他大部分的神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)， 使他從脖子以下 就失去了觸覺或本體感覺。 但傳入神經(jīng)阻滯僅僅只是 許多軀體感覺失調(diào)的情況之一。 個體的腦部區(qū)域或部分皮膚 可能受到損傷， 導(dǎo)致喪失特定部位的感覺。 這種感覺的喪失 會對人體產(chǎn)生非常大的影響。 喪失觸覺會讓人在具體情境中 判斷使用多少力氣變得非常困難。 如果沒有體溫或痛感的刺激 來提醒我們引起注意， 身體在受到損傷時， 我們就不會做出相應(yīng)的反應(yīng)。 并且，由于缺乏與他人的社會交往， 導(dǎo)致“觸摸匱乏”的情況發(fā)生， 主要表現(xiàn)為焦慮、抑郁、 高血壓，甚至還會出現(xiàn) 免疫力下降這樣的情況。

Many individuals who face these realities have found innovative ways to adapt. But it’s undeniable that all these invisible sensations play a vital role in how we navigate the world— even if they can be difficult to put your finger on.

In 1971, Ian Waterman suddenly collapsed from a severe case of what seemed to be gastric flu. His illness passed after a few days, but a stranger set of symptoms lingered. Although his muscles and joints remained healthy, Waterman was unable to move. In fact, he was unable to feel anything from the neck down. Eventually, he was diagnosed with a rare and extreme form of deafferentation, a neurological condition in which certain signals from the nervous system are interrupted or impaired. Without his body's constant feedback on how his limbs were moving, Waterman was unable to sit up, stand, or walk. But over time, he taught himself to use sight to judge the distance of his limbs from other objects. And eventually he regained complete control of his body— so long as he could see it.

1971 年，伊恩·沃特曼突然病倒， 他以為是腸胃炎導(dǎo)致的。 幾天后，癥狀消退了， 但他感到身體有些異樣。 盡管沃特曼的肌肉 和關(guān)節(jié)狀況良好， 但他無法移動身體了。 實(shí)際的狀況是： 他從脖子以下沒有任何感知。 最后，他被診斷患了一種極其罕見 的傳入神經(jīng)阻滯疾病， 這是一種神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)疾病， 這意味著神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)中的部分 傳輸信號中斷或受到了損傷。 由于沃特曼失去了 四肢活動時慣常的感知， 他無法坐、無法站、 也無法走路。 但多年后，他逐漸學(xué)會了 使用目光來判斷 自己的肢體與其他物體之間的距離。 最終，他又重新獲得了 自由移動身體的能力， 前提是他能看見周圍的事物。

We often don’t think of touch as being a vital part of movement. But touch is just one part of the somatosensory system, a network that oversees all the sensations arising from the surface and interior of our bodies. Touch, pain, temperature, and our awareness of our bodies in space— also known as proprioception— are regulated by this system. And when something goes wrong, the effects can be dramatic.

我們一般不會認(rèn)為觸覺 在日常生活中起到多大作用。 雖然觸覺僅僅只是 軀體感覺系統(tǒng)的一部分， 呈網(wǎng)絡(luò)狀， 但統(tǒng)籌著身體表面 與身體內(nèi)部產(chǎn)生的所有感覺。 我們的觸覺、痛感、體溫 和空間感知 統(tǒng)稱為本體感覺， 也是由軀體感覺系統(tǒng)來調(diào)節(jié)的。 當(dāng)哪個部分出了問題時， 會對人體產(chǎn)生巨大的影響。

All these sensations are processed by millions of tiny receptor cells embedded in our skin, muscles, tendons, and organs. Every square centimeter of our skin is packed with hundreds of these cells, and their shape, size, and depth determine what kind of stimuli they respond to.

成千上萬微小的受體細(xì)胞 處理著所有這些感覺， 深入我們的皮膚、肌肉、 肌腱和各個器官。 我們身上每平方厘米皮膚 都充滿了成百上千個這樣的細(xì)胞， 這些細(xì)胞的形狀、大小和厚度 決定了這些細(xì)胞對哪種刺激有反應(yīng)。

Mechanoreceptors sense mechanical deformation of the skin. This could be triggered by low or high frequency vibrations, a stretch, or simply light, static pressure. Thermoreceptors respond to temperature changes, while nociceptors sense pain. And propriocepters sit deep in your muscles and tendons, continually detecting and relaying information about the position of your body. Your brain then combines this information with other sensory data to move through space without needing to see your limbs.

機(jī)械感受器會檢測并記錄 皮膚機(jī)械變形的情況。 這可能會由低頻或高頻的感受、 拉伸，或僅僅由輕微 的靜態(tài)壓力所引發(fā)。 溫度感受器對溫度變化有反應(yīng)， 而傷害感受器會感知到疼痛。 本體感受器存在于肌肉和肌腱底層， 持續(xù)不斷地探測傳遞 與身體位置相關(guān)的信息。 然后，大腦就會將 這類信息與其他感官數(shù)據(jù)結(jié)合， 讓人可以在空間中自由移動， 而不用看見肢體的位置。

All of these receptors work by sending electrical signals to the brain through fibers they’re attached to. And the speed of those signals varies with the fiber’s thickness. For example, some nociceptors are attached to fibers with slightly more conductive, fatty myelin than others. So when you get hurt, the electrical impulses from thicker nociceptors trigger sharp, intense pain, while thin, unmyelinated nociceptors are responsible for the dull, aching pain that follows. And since the fibers carrying tactile information are much thicker than those carrying nociceptive signals, rubbing an injury can produce temporary relief from the pain

所有這些感受器通過 向大腦發(fā)送電信號來工作， 經(jīng)由所依附的神經(jīng)纖維。 這些信號的速度 與神經(jīng)纖維的厚度有關(guān)。 例如，有些傷害感受器 依附于神經(jīng)纖維， 就會更具有傳導(dǎo)作用， 髓磷脂所富含的脂肪也更多一些。 所以當(dāng)你受傷時， 具有更厚質(zhì)的傷害感受器 所傳導(dǎo)的電脈沖 就會引發(fā)強(qiáng)烈的劇痛， 而薄質(zhì)且無髓鞘的傷害感受器 則會產(chǎn)生隱隱的酸痛。 而且由于帶有觸覺信息的神經(jīng)纖維 比帶有損傷性信號 的纖維要更厚一些， 摩擦傷口反而可能暫時不會那么疼。

These receptors generate a constant flood of signals that travel through the nervous system to the brain. But if this process is disrupted— either by damage to the skin, the nerves, or the brain— the network breaks down. And since it underpins so many bodily functions, damage to the somatosensory system can manifest in a wide variety of ways.

這些感受器會產(chǎn)生持續(xù)的信號流， 通過神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)傳輸?shù)酱竽X。 但如果這個過程受到干擾， 不管是皮膚受傷， 還是神經(jīng)或大腦受到了損傷， 這種信號傳輸?shù)倪^程就無法進(jìn)行。 而且由于很多身體功能都依賴于 這種信號傳輸， 軀體感覺系統(tǒng)會產(chǎn)生 各種不同的損傷。

In Waterman’s case, an autoimmune reaction attacked a large swath of his nervous system, leaving him with no tactile or proprioceptive sensations from the neck down. But deafferentation is just one of many somatosensory disorders. Individuals can receive damage to a specific brain area or a section of skin, resulting in the loss of certain sensations in particular locations. And the impact of this loss can be significant. Losing tactile sensations makes it difficult to gauge how much strength to use in a situation. Without the warning signals provided by thermal and pain stimuli, we don’t react when our bodies are damaged. And, being deprived of social touch can cause a condition known as touch starvation, characterized by anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, and even a weakened immune system.

在沃特曼這個案例中， 自身免疫反應(yīng) 攻擊了他大部分的神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)， 使他從脖子以下 就失去了觸覺或本體感覺。 但傳入神經(jīng)阻滯僅僅只是 許多軀體感覺失調(diào)的情況之一。 個體的腦部區(qū)域或部分皮膚 可能受到損傷， 導(dǎo)致喪失特定部位的感覺。 這種感覺的喪失 會對人體產(chǎn)生非常大的影響。 喪失觸覺會讓人在具體情境中 判斷使用多少力氣變得非常困難。 如果沒有體溫或痛感的刺激 來提醒我們引起注意， 身體在受到損傷時， 我們就不會做出相應(yīng)的反應(yīng)。 并且，由于缺乏與他人的社會交往， 導(dǎo)致“觸摸匱乏”的情況發(fā)生， 主要表現(xiàn)為焦慮、抑郁、 高血壓，甚至還會出現(xiàn) 免疫力下降這樣的情況。

Many individuals who face these realities have found innovative ways to adapt. But it’s undeniable that all these invisible sensations play a vital role in how we navigate the world— even if they can be difficult to put your finger on.

許多患者采用了一些新 的方式來適應(yīng)這種情況。 但不可否認(rèn)的是， 所有這些無形的感覺 在我們探索世界的過程中， 起到了非常重要的作用，?即使這些感覺可能很難說清楚。