Which part of the nervous system is responsible for piloerection (goose‑skin)?

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Last updated: May 18, 2026 • View editorial policy

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Piloerection (Goose Skin) is Controlled by the Sympathetic Nervous System

Piloerection, or "goose bumps," is mediated by the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system through postganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers that innervate the arrector pili muscles (musculi arrectores pilorum) attached to hair follicles.

Neurophysiological Mechanism

The sympathetic nervous system controls piloerection through a specific pathway:

  • Sympathetic postganglionic neurons send nerve fibers to the arrector pili muscles in the dermis 1
  • These are small involuntary smooth muscles attached to each hair follicle 2
  • When activated, these muscles contract and pull the hair shaft perpendicular to the skin surface, creating the characteristic "goose bump" appearance

Specific Neural Characteristics

Research has identified distinct types of sympathetic neurons controlling skin responses 1:

  • Type 2 postganglionic neurons specifically mediate pilomotor function (piloerection)
  • These neurons are typically not spontaneously active under normal conditions
  • They activate during specific stimuli like asphyxia (after 3-4 minutes), coinciding with visible piloerection
  • Their axons conduct at approximately 0.84 m/s, with preganglionic fibers conducting at 9.9 m/s

This contrasts with Type 1 neurons that control vasoconstriction (blood vessel constriction) rather than piloerection.

Clinical Context

Important caveat: While piloerection is a sympathetic response, humans have limited conscious awareness of when it actually occurs. Recent evidence shows that only 31.8% of self-reported "goosebumps" coincide with observable piloerection 3, indicating a significant disconnect between the physiological response and our perception of it.

In pathological states, piloerection can occur as part of autonomic seizures, with temporal lobe epilepsies showing a left hemispheric predominance when "cold shivers and goose bumps" are the principal ictal manifestation 4.

References

1
Research

Vasoconstrictor and pilomotor fibres in skin nerves to the cat's tail.

Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology, 1976

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