Cortical Sensory Examination

  • If the primary sensory modalities are normal or only mildly affected, you should test cortical sensory modalities
  • It is in the secondary sensory cortex that information from all primary modalities (in the primary sensory cortex) is analyzed so that you can appreciate multiple modalities of an object (eg texture and temperature of a cup full of coffee)
2 point discrimination

The player will show in this paragraph

  • this is the least useful test of cortical sensory dysfunction because it is inaccurate; if you have mild abnormalities in the primary sensory modalities that are difficult to appreciate clinically, 2 point discrimination may be abnormal and therefore not due to a cortical abnormality.