Simultaneous encoding of tactile information by three primate cortical areas.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
We used simultaneous multi-site neural ensemble recordings to investigate the representation of tactile information in three areas of the primate somatosensory cortex (areas 3b, SII and 2). Small neural ensembles (30-40 neurons) of broadly tuned somatosensory neurons were able to identify correctly the location of a single tactile stimulus on a single trial, almost simultaneously. Furthermore, each of these cortical areas could use different combinations of encoding strategies, such as mean firing rate (areas 3b and 2) or temporal patterns of ensemble firing (area SII), to represent the location of a tactile stimulus. Based on these results, we propose that ensembles of broadly tuned neurons, located in three distinct areas of the primate somatosensory cortex, obtain information about the location of a tactile stimulus almost concurrently.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Nicolelis, MA; Ghazanfar, AA; Stambaugh, CR; Oliveira, LM; Laubach, M; Chapin, JK; Nelson, RJ; Kaas, JH
Published Date
- November 1998
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 1 / 7
Start / End Page
- 621 - 630
PubMed ID
- 10196571
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 1097-6256
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1038/2855
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States