A 51-year-old woman who was born congenitally blind and deaf is able to distinguish individuals by light touch of the individual's face. Which of the following components of the woman's skin innervation likely contributes the most to this ability?
A) Ruffini corpuscles
B) Meissner corpuscles
C) Pacinian corpuscles
D) Nociceptors

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Meissner corpuscles are rapidly adapting nerve endings located on the palmar surfaces of the fingers and hands; as such, they would be likely to be involved in fine distinction using the fingers. Ruffini corpuscles are located in the subcutaneous tissue of hairy and glabrous skin, while pacinian corpuscles detect gross pressure and vibration.Nociceptors detect painful stimuli.

A 51-Year-Old Woman Who Was Born Congenitally Blind and Deaf