Sensory inputs from whisking movements modify cortical whisker maps visualized with functional magnetic resonance imaging

TY - JOUR

T1 - Sensory inputs from whisking movements modify cortical whisker maps visualized with functional magnetic resonance imaging

AU - Alonso, Benito de Celis

AU - Lowe, Andrew S

AU - Dear, John P

AU - Lee, Kalok C

AU - Williams, Steven C R

AU - Finnerty, Gerald T

PY - 2008/6

Y1 - 2008/6

N2 - Rodents vary the frequency of whisking movements during exploratory and discriminatory behaviors. The effect of whisking frequency on whisker cortical maps was investigated by simulating whisking at physiological frequencies and imaging the whisker representations with blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging. Repetitive deflection of many right-sided whiskers at 10 Hz evoked a positive BOLD response that extended across contralateral primary somatosensory cortex (SI) and secondary somatosensory cortex (SII). In contrast, synchronous deflection of 2 adjacent whiskers (right C1 and C2) at 10 Hz evoked separate positive BOLD responses in contralateral SI and SII that were predominantly located in upper cortical layers. The positive BOLD responses were separated and partially surrounded by a negative BOLD response that was mainly in lower cortical layers. Two-whisker representations varied with the frequency of simulated whisking. Positive BOLD responses were largest with 7-Hz deflection. Negative BOLD responses were robust at 10 Hz but were weaker or absent with 7-Hz or 3-Hz deflection. Our findings suggest that sensory inputs attributable to the frequency of whisking movements modify whisker cortical representations.

AB - Rodents vary the frequency of whisking movements during exploratory and discriminatory behaviors. The effect of whisking frequency on whisker cortical maps was investigated by simulating whisking at physiological frequencies and imaging the whisker representations with blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging. Repetitive deflection of many right-sided whiskers at 10 Hz evoked a positive BOLD response that extended across contralateral primary somatosensory cortex (SI) and secondary somatosensory cortex (SII). In contrast, synchronous deflection of 2 adjacent whiskers (right C1 and C2) at 10 Hz evoked separate positive BOLD responses in contralateral SI and SII that were predominantly located in upper cortical layers. The positive BOLD responses were separated and partially surrounded by a negative BOLD response that was mainly in lower cortical layers. Two-whisker representations varied with the frequency of simulated whisking. Positive BOLD responses were largest with 7-Hz deflection. Negative BOLD responses were robust at 10 Hz but were weaker or absent with 7-Hz or 3-Hz deflection. Our findings suggest that sensory inputs attributable to the frequency of whisking movements modify whisker cortical representations.

KW - Somatosensory Cortex

KW - Rats

KW - Magnetic Resonance Imaging

KW - Animals

KW - Rats, Sprague-Dawley

KW - Vibrissae

KW - Neurons, Afferent

KW - Movement

KW - Male

U2 - 10.1093/cercor/bhm163

DO - 10.1093/cercor/bhm163

M3 - Article

C2 - 17951597

SN - 1460-2199

VL - 18

SP - 1314

EP - 1325

JO - Cerebral Cortex

JF - Cerebral Cortex

IS - 6

ER -