Response Properties of Neurons of Cat's Somatic Sensory Cortex to Peripheral Stimuli

Mountcastle, Vernon B.; Davies, Philip W.; Berman, A. L.

doi:10.1152/jn.1957.20.4.374

Cited by 303 publications

(115 citation statements)

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“…The most salient observation was that the dynamics exhibited by cortical neurons while adapting to the stimulus train were both layer specific and stimulus specific. Typically, when applying repetitive stimulations to passive sensory organs, cortical responses depress (Mountcastle et al, 1957;Hellweg et al, 1977;Simons, 1978;Ulanovsky et al, 2004). With our active stimulation paradigm, responses to stimuli presented at similar frequencies and producing similar initial responses either facilitated, did not change, or depressed, depending on the sensory information conveyed (i.e., presence or absence of an object) and on the cortical layer.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Layer-Specific Touch-Dependent Facilitation and Depression in the Somatosensory Cortex during Active Whisking

Derdikman¹,

Yu²,

Haidarliu³

et al. 2006

J. Neurosci.

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Brains adapt to new situations by retuning their neurons. The most common form of neuronal adaptation, typically observed with repetitive stimulations of passive sensory organs, is depression (responses gradually decrease until stabilized). We studied cortical adaptation when stimuli are acquired by active movements of the sensory organ. In anesthetized rats, artificial whisking was induced at 5 Hz, and activity of individual neurons in layers 2-5 was recorded during whisking in air (Whisking condition) and whisking against an object (Touch condition). Response strengths were assessed by spike counts. Input-layer responses (layers 4 and 5a) usually facilitated during the whisking train, whereas superficial responses (layer 2/3) usually depressed. In layers 2/3 and 4, but not 5a, responses were usually stronger during touch trials than during whisking in air. Facilitations were specific to the protraction phase; during retraction, responses depressed in all layers and conditions. These dynamic processes were accompanied by a slow positive wave of activity progressing from superficial to deeper layers and lasting for ϳ1 s, during the transient phase of response. Our results indicate that, in the cortex, adaptation does not depend only on the level of activity or the frequency of its repetition but rather on the nature of the sensory information that is conveyed by that activity and on the processing layer. The input and laminar specificities observed here are consistent with the hypothesis that the paralemniscal layer 5a is involved in the processing of whisker motion, whereas the lemniscal barrels in layer 4 are involved in the processing of object identity.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Layer-Specific Touch-Dependent Facilitation and Depression in the Somatosensory Cortex during Active Whisking

Derdikman¹,

Yu²,

Haidarliu³

et al. 2006

J. Neurosci.

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“…The neurons within a given column are stereotypically interconnected in the vertical dimension, share extrinsic connectivity and, hence, act as basic units subserving a set of common static and dynamic cortical operations (Eccles, 1984). This concept, inspired by the discoveries of functional columns subserving various attributes of somatic sensations (Mountcastle et al, 1957) and vision (Hubel and Wiesel, 1969), gained in significance by the finding that even in the so called "thinking" or association cortex, neurons with categorically specific responses reside in the same columns (Goldman-Rakic, 1988;Goldman-Rakic, 1995). The evidence for this concept came from a multiple electrode recording in the primate prefrontal cortex during a working memory performance displaying features analogous to the orientation preferences of the primary visual neurons (e.g., Funahashi et al, 1989;Wilson et al, 1993).…”

Section: Radial Edifice: Hardware For Cortical Operationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The radial edifice of cortical architecture: From neuronal silhouettes to genetic engineering

Rakić

2007

Brain Research Reviews

233

185

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The developmental principles that establish the columnar edifice of the cerebral cortex underlie its evolution and dictate its physiological operations and cognitive capacity. This article contrasts the initial discoveries made by Ramón y Cajal and his contemporaries, based on the ingenious interpretation of neuronal shapes and their relationships using the Golgi method, with new insights based on the application of the most advanced methods of molecular biology and genetics. We can now propose a realistic model of how the sequence of gene expression, cascade of multiple molecular pathways and cell-cell interactions establish the number of neurons, guide their migration and allocation into proper regions and determine their differentiation into specific phenotypes that establish specific synaptic connections. The findings obtained from different levels of analyses sustain the radial unit hypothesis as a useful framework for understanding the mechanisms of cortical development and its evolution as an organ of thought.

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“…Large neurones in the medullary reticular formation may be up to 75 ,u in diameter in fixed and stained preparations and are thus of a similar size to large spinal motoneurones. Most cortical cells are smaller and it is interesting to note that Mountcastle, Davies & Berman (1957) (Krnjevid & Phillis, 1963) or to have much effect on fibre membrane potentials (see Tasaki, 1959). During several penetrations in the medulla the release of glutamate led to an increase of frequency in all except one of the units encountered.…”

Section: Reticulospinal Neuronesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reticulospinal neurones

Wolstencroft¹

1964

The Journal of Physiology

116

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Studies of the activity of single reticular neurones have shown that many kinds of fibres converge upon them and influence them (Mollica, Moruzzi & Naquet, 1953; Baumgarten, Mollica & Moruzzi, 1954 Brodal, 1957). Although each group tends to be concentrated in certain areas they are intermingled, and so a knowledge of the position of an electrode tip is of little use in indicating cell type. A logical development of micro-electrode work in this region of the brain is a search for these types, followed by a study of their properties. In the present series of experiments reticulospinal (RS) neurones have been identified and their response to cutaneous and muscle afferent stimulation has been examined. Part of this work has been briefly reported (Wolstencroft, 1961(Wolstencroft, , 1962. METHODSExperiments were made on thirty-nine cats weighing between 1-8 and 4-5 kg. They were decerebrated under ether or halothane (Fluothane, I.C.I.) anaesthesia, which was then discontinued. In all experiments the brain stem was cut between the colliculi and the rostral portion of the brain removed. In some experiments the common carotid arteries were clamped during and for 10 min after the section, the clamps then being removed. In the majority of experiments, in order to reduce blood loss, a form of anaemic decerebration was carried out before section of the brain. This was done after removal of a length of trachea and oesophagus and exposure of the ventral surface of the pons and medulla by removal of the overlying bone. The basilar artery was ligated at the rostral end of the exposure and the external carotid arteries ligated just distal to the origin of the lingual artery. In a few experiments the ascending pharyngeal arteries were also ligated, but this was discontinued after it was found that it made little difference to blood loss. This procedure is simpler than * Present address.

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Response Properties of Neurons of Cat's Somatic Sensory Cortex to Peripheral Stimuli

Cited by 303 publications

References 0 publications

Layer-Specific Touch-Dependent Facilitation and Depression in the Somatosensory Cortex during Active Whisking

Layer-Specific Touch-Dependent Facilitation and Depression in the Somatosensory Cortex during Active Whisking

The radial edifice of cortical architecture: From neuronal silhouettes to genetic engineering

Reticulospinal neurones

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