Aftersensation

/ˌæftərsenˈseɪʃən/ noun

Definition

A sensation or feeling that persists or develops after the primary sensory stimulus has been removed.

Etymology

Compound of 'after' and 'sensation' (from Latin sensatio, derived from sentire, to feel). This psychological and sensory term emerged in 19th-century neuroscience.

Kelly Says

Aftersensations explain why your hand feels tingly after you stop holding your cell phone—your nerves keep firing briefly after the stimulus ends, a phenomenon called 'phantom sensation' in medical literature.

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