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Drivers from the deep: the contribution of collicular input to thalamocortical processing.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Wurtz, RH; Sommer, MA; Cavanaugh, J
Published in: Progress in brain research
January 2005

A traditional view of the thalamus is that it is a relay station which receives sensory input and conveys this information to cortex. This sensory input determines most of the properties of first order thalamic neurons, and so is said to drive, rather than modulate, these neurons. This holds as a rule for first order thalamic nuclei, but in contrast, higher order thalamic nuclei receive much of their driver input back from cerebral cortex. In addition, higher order thalamic neurons receive inputs from subcortical movement-related centers. In the terminology popularized from studies of the sensory system, can we consider these ascending motor inputs to thalamus from subcortical structures to be modulators, subtly influencing the activity of their target neurons, or drivers, dictating the activity of their target neurons? This chapter summarizes relevant evidence from neuronal recording, inactivation, and stimulation of pathways projecting from the superior colliculus through thalamus to cerebral cortex. The study concludes that many inputs to the higher order nuclei of the thalamus from subcortical oculomotor areas - from the superior colliculus and probably other midbrain and pontine regions - should be regarded as motor drivers analogous to the sensory drivers at the first order thalamic nuclei. These motor drivers at the thalamus are viewed as being at the top of a series of feedback loops that provide information on impending actions, just as sensory drivers provide information about the external environment.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Progress in brain research

DOI

EISSN

1875-7855

ISSN

0079-6123

Publication Date

January 2005

Volume

149

Start / End Page

207 / 225

Related Subject Headings

  • Visual Perception
  • Visual Pathways
  • Thalamus
  • Superior Colliculi
  • Psychomotor Performance
  • Neurons
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Humans
  • Eye Movements
  • Cerebral Cortex
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Wurtz, R. H., Sommer, M. A., & Cavanaugh, J. (2005). Drivers from the deep: the contribution of collicular input to thalamocortical processing. Progress in Brain Research, 149, 207–225. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0079-6123(05)49015-9
Wurtz, Robert H., Marc A. Sommer, and James Cavanaugh. “Drivers from the deep: the contribution of collicular input to thalamocortical processing.Progress in Brain Research 149 (January 2005): 207–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0079-6123(05)49015-9.
Wurtz RH, Sommer MA, Cavanaugh J. Drivers from the deep: the contribution of collicular input to thalamocortical processing. Progress in brain research. 2005 Jan;149:207–25.
Wurtz, Robert H., et al. “Drivers from the deep: the contribution of collicular input to thalamocortical processing.Progress in Brain Research, vol. 149, Jan. 2005, pp. 207–25. Epmc, doi:10.1016/s0079-6123(05)49015-9.
Wurtz RH, Sommer MA, Cavanaugh J. Drivers from the deep: the contribution of collicular input to thalamocortical processing. Progress in brain research. 2005 Jan;149:207–225.

Published In

Progress in brain research

DOI

EISSN

1875-7855

ISSN

0079-6123

Publication Date

January 2005

Volume

149

Start / End Page

207 / 225

Related Subject Headings

  • Visual Perception
  • Visual Pathways
  • Thalamus
  • Superior Colliculi
  • Psychomotor Performance
  • Neurons
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Humans
  • Eye Movements
  • Cerebral Cortex