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Neonatal whisker removal in rats stabilizes a transient projection from the auditory thalamus to the primary somatosensory cortex.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Nicolelis, MA; Chapin, JK; Lin, RC
Published in: Brain Res
December 13, 1991

A normally transient cross-modal thalamocortical projection from the magnocellular subdivision of the medial geniculate nucleus (MGm) to the primary somatosensory (SI) cortex of rats was found to remain unchanged throughout adulthood following unilateral removal of whiskers in newborn animals. The normal MGm projection to the auditory cortex is not lost in these neonatally whisker-deprived adults rats but some of the MGm neurons send collaterals to both primary auditory and SI cortices. Parallel electrophysiological experiments demonstrated the multimodal character of some MGm neurons, since they responded to both auditory and cutaneous stimulation. These results suggest that the areal distribution in the cortex of thalamocortical projections arising from a multimodal thalamic nucleus, such as the MGm, may be determined during early postnatal development by the normal flow of sensory information from the periphery to the thalamus and that an early postnatal somatosensory deprivation may prevent the normal withdrawal of a cross-modal projection from the MGm to the SI.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Brain Res

DOI

ISSN

0006-8993

Publication Date

December 13, 1991

Volume

567

Issue

1

Start / End Page

133 / 139

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Vibrissae
  • Thalamus
  • Somatosensory Cortex
  • Rats
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Functional Laterality
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Axonal Transport
  • Auditory Cortex
  • Animals, Newborn
 

Citation

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Nicolelis, M. A., Chapin, J. K., & Lin, R. C. (1991). Neonatal whisker removal in rats stabilizes a transient projection from the auditory thalamus to the primary somatosensory cortex. Brain Res, 567(1), 133–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(91)91445-7
Nicolelis, M. A., J. K. Chapin, and R. C. Lin. “Neonatal whisker removal in rats stabilizes a transient projection from the auditory thalamus to the primary somatosensory cortex.Brain Res 567, no. 1 (December 13, 1991): 133–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(91)91445-7.
Nicolelis, M. A., et al. “Neonatal whisker removal in rats stabilizes a transient projection from the auditory thalamus to the primary somatosensory cortex.Brain Res, vol. 567, no. 1, Dec. 1991, pp. 133–39. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/0006-8993(91)91445-7.
Journal cover image

Published In

Brain Res

DOI

ISSN

0006-8993

Publication Date

December 13, 1991

Volume

567

Issue

1

Start / End Page

133 / 139

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • Vibrissae
  • Thalamus
  • Somatosensory Cortex
  • Rats
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Functional Laterality
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Axonal Transport
  • Auditory Cortex
  • Animals, Newborn