| Abstract: | [Purpose] This study investigated two-point discrimination (TPD) and the electricalsensory threshold of the blind to define the effect of using Braille on the tactile andelectrical senses. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-eight blind participants were dividedequally into a text-reading and a Braille-reading group. We measured tactile sensory andelectrical thresholds using the TPD method and a transcutaneous electrical nervestimulator. [Results] The left palm TPD values were significantly different between thegroups. The values of the electrical sensory threshold in the left hand, the electricalpain threshold in the left hand, and the electrical pain threshold in the right hand weresignificantly lower in the Braille group than in the text group. [Conclusion] Thesefindings make it difficult to explain the difference in tactility between groups,excluding both palms. However, our data show that using Braille can enhance development ofthe sensory median nerve in the blind, particularly in terms of the electrical sensory andpain thresholds.Key words: Electrical sensory threshold, Pain threshold, The blind |
