UA Physiology Researcher Receives $2.1M Grant to Study How the Brain Processes Emotion and Social Touch

Black and white image of two hands touching
UA College of Medicine, Tucson

Touch is our first emotional language, communicating feelings of pleasure and pain and laying the foundation for social bonds. But how do we differentiate between soothing and offensive forms of physical touch? New research by Dr. Katalin Gothard at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson that addresses the brain’s role in deciphering these emotional responses might lead to a better understanding of social and mental disorders.