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Sensorimotor encoding by synchronous neural ensemble activity at multiple levels of the somatosensory system.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Nicolelis, MA; Baccala, LA; Lin, RC; Chapin, JK
Published in: Science
June 2, 1995

Neural ensemble processing of sensorimotor information during behavior was investigated by simultaneously recording up to 48 single neurons at multiple relays of the rat trigeminal somatosensory system. Cortical, thalamic, and brainstem neurons exhibited widespread 7- to 12-hertz synchronous oscillations, which began during attentive immobility and reliably predicted the imminent onset of rhythmic whisker twitching. Each oscillatory cycle began as a traveling wave of neural activity in the cortex that then spread to the thalamus. Just before the onset of rhythmic whisker twitching, the oscillations spread to the spinal trigeminal brainstem complex. Thereafter, the oscillations at all levels were synchronous with whisker protraction. Neural structures manifesting these rhythms also exhibited distributed spatiotemporal patterns of neuronal ensemble activity in response to tactile stimulation. Thus, multilevel synchronous activity in this system may encode not only sensory information but also the onset and temporal domain of tactile exploratory movements.

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Published In

Science

DOI

ISSN

0036-8075

Publication Date

June 2, 1995

Volume

268

Issue

5215

Start / End Page

1353 / 1358

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Vibrissae
  • Trigeminal Nuclei
  • Trigeminal Ganglion
  • Touch
  • Thalamic Nuclei
  • Somatosensory Cortex
  • Rats
  • Neurons, Afferent
  • Neural Pathways
  • Nerve Net
 

Citation

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Nicolelis, M. A., Baccala, L. A., Lin, R. C., & Chapin, J. K. (1995). Sensorimotor encoding by synchronous neural ensemble activity at multiple levels of the somatosensory system. Science, 268(5215), 1353–1358. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.7761855
Nicolelis, M. A., L. A. Baccala, R. C. Lin, and J. K. Chapin. “Sensorimotor encoding by synchronous neural ensemble activity at multiple levels of the somatosensory system.Science 268, no. 5215 (June 2, 1995): 1353–58. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.7761855.
Nicolelis MA, Baccala LA, Lin RC, Chapin JK. Sensorimotor encoding by synchronous neural ensemble activity at multiple levels of the somatosensory system. Science. 1995 Jun 2;268(5215):1353–8.
Nicolelis, M. A., et al. “Sensorimotor encoding by synchronous neural ensemble activity at multiple levels of the somatosensory system.Science, vol. 268, no. 5215, June 1995, pp. 1353–58. Pubmed, doi:10.1126/science.7761855.
Nicolelis MA, Baccala LA, Lin RC, Chapin JK. Sensorimotor encoding by synchronous neural ensemble activity at multiple levels of the somatosensory system. Science. 1995 Jun 2;268(5215):1353–1358.
Journal cover image

Published In

Science

DOI

ISSN

0036-8075

Publication Date

June 2, 1995

Volume

268

Issue

5215

Start / End Page

1353 / 1358

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Vibrissae
  • Trigeminal Nuclei
  • Trigeminal Ganglion
  • Touch
  • Thalamic Nuclei
  • Somatosensory Cortex
  • Rats
  • Neurons, Afferent
  • Neural Pathways
  • Nerve Net