Abstract

The article discusses relevant open questions for understanding the neural mechanisms of somatosensory processing underlying the formation of the sense of touch in human cognition, with the intention of stimulating readers’ opinions, criticisms and research ideas. The questions are examined using the selection of recent scientific findings derived from studies conducted in both healthy individuals and patients with neuropsychological deficits in touch perception and awareness. Clarification of these questions could represent an important theoretical and scientific advance toward a more comprehensive understanding of the role of touch in human cognition.