JN Fuel your research with LabChart
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

J Neurophysiol 56: 1475-1497, 1986;
0022-3077/86 $5.00
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Herron, P.
Right arrow Articles by Dykes, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Herron, P.
Right arrow Articles by Dykes, R.

Journal of Neurophysiology, Vol 56, Issue 6 1475-1497, Copyright © 1986 by APS

ARTICLES

The ventroposterior inferior nucleus in the thalamus of cats: a relay nucleus in the Pacinian pathway to somatosensory cortex

P. Herron and R. Dykes

The ventroposterior region of the thalamus of mongrel cats was searched to locate zones activated by somatic stimuli. By using stimuli that selectively excited Pacinian corpuscles, areas activated by this class of afferent fibers were differentiated from regions activated by other classes of cutaneous mechanoreceptors. The results showed that Pacinian inputs excite neurons in the ventroposterior inferior nucleus (VPI) of the thalamus, whereas other more dorsal zones within the ventroposterior thalamus receive inputs from other mechanoreceptor classes. This definition of the VPI tended to be larger and to extend further lateral than some published descriptions. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was injected into ventroposterior zones shown by electrophysiological recordings to receive inputs from Pacinian afferents. Subsequently, labeled cell bodies were observed in the caudal poles of the dorsal column nuclei, a region previously shown to be activated by Pacinian afferents. Very few labeled cells were found in the central region of these nuclei, a region previously shown to be activated by other classes of cutaneous mechanoreceptors. Electrophysiological recordings were used to locate a small portion of the second somatosensory cortex driven by Pacinian stimuli. When HRP was injected into this region cell bodies in the VPI and the lateral part of the posterior group were labeled, but few or no labeled cells were found in ventroposterior lateral nucleus. We hypothesize that the VPI receives Pacinian information from a cytoarchitecturally distinct region in the caudal poles of the dorsal column nuclei. Further, we suggest that a major cortical target for the VPI is a subdivision of the second somatosensory cortex. These studies do not exclude the possibility that Pacinian inputs have other thalamic and cortical targets.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Neurophysiol.Home page
G. T. Coleman, H. Bahramali, H. Q. Zhang, and M. J. Rowe
Characterization of Tactile Afferent Fibers in the Hand of the Marmoset Monkey
J Neurophysiol, May 1, 2001; 85(5): 1793 - 1804.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Neurophysiol.Home page
P. Wilson, P. D. Kitchener, and P. J. Snow
Cutaneous Receptive Field Organization in the Ventral Posterior Nucleus of the Thalamus in the Common Marmoset
J Neurophysiol, October 1, 1999; 82(4): 1865 - 1875.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Neurophysiol.Home page
M. Tommerdahl, B. L. Whitsel, O. V. Favorov, C. B. Metz, and B. L. O'Quinn
Responses of Contralateral SI and SII in Cat to Same-Site Cutaneous Flutter Versus Vibration
J Neurophysiol, October 1, 1999; 82(4): 1982 - 1992.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Visit Other APS Journals Online