The Body’s “Sixth Sense”

The Body’s “Sixth Sense”

Close your eyes. Then touch your nose with your finger. The reason why you can do this is that you have a “sixth sense,” called proprioception, that allows you to keep track of where your body parts are in space. What if you didn’t have this sense? What would life be like? In this short video, Dr. Alec Nickolls, a researcher in NCCIH’s Section on Sensory Cells and Circuits, talks about the studies he and his colleagues have been doing with the help of volunteers who have a rare disease that impairs this sixth sense. Their investigations are providing insights about how proprioception works and might also lead to new treatments for chronic pain. Watch the video