µm for slow pulses. Lindblom's study shows that humans are more sensitive to fast stimulation than slow stimulation, at least for touch. Taste In 1999, J. A. Stillman, R. P. Morton, and D. Goldsmith performed a study testing absolute threshold of taste and found that automated testing of taste was just as reliable as traditional testing. Additionally, they found statistical significance of the right side of the tongue having a lower absolute threshold than the left side. This finding leads to the possibility that the right hemisphere of the brain is better at processing gustatory stimuli than the left. Being deprived of calories for a short time increases sensitivity to and decreases absolute threshold for sweet and salty foods. Other factors such as pregnancy and smoking can influence taste sensitivity. Sensory Processing Disorder Main article: Sensory Processing Disorder Some people have an abnormally high or low absolute threshold for one or more senses that interferes with their quality of life. They tend to avoid stimulation, seek after it, or perhaps not notice it at all. This is a symptom of can be diagnosed as a sensory processing disorder, also known as sensory integration dysfunction, which is common in people with autism. See also Limen Psychometric function Sensory threshold References Perception Psychophysics