Haptic medicine

Haptic medicine is a form of alternative medicine which involves the study and application of maternal touch to support human health.

Current studies
The role of maternal touch in human health is the subject of a study in Canada known as MAVAN. Scientists working in Canada discovered the effects of maternal touch include modifying the expression of genes regulating stress and neurogenesis or the development of neural stem cells in the Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, a region of the brain involving memory, digestion, adaptation, immune function, emotions and more. Research scientists working with animal studies in Sweden showed tactile sensory stimulation effects include measurable changes in hormonal patterns and in cortisol, gastrin, cholecystokinin, somatostatin, insulin, prolactin, and oxytocin