Aline Newton, a Rolfer with many publications to her credit, has written the best post I’ve seen on the neuroscience of touch. Her main points, with my interpretation:

1. Massage therapists and bodyworkers have long been aware of the power of touch to benefit our clients.
2. Functional MRI’s show that touch influences mood, sensations, movements, thinking and learning capacities.
3. The brain may have different responses to different kinds of touch, duration and depth, and more research is needed here.