Krupa David J, Wiest Michael C, Shuler Marshall G, Laubach Mark, Nicolelis Miguel A L
Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Science. 2004 Jun 25;304(5679):1989-92. doi: 10.1126/science.1093318.
Ensemble neuronal activity was recorded in each layer of the whisker area of the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) while rats performed a whisker-dependent tactile discrimination task. Comparison of this activity with SI activity evoked by similar passive whisker stimulation revealed fundamental differences in tactile signal processing during active and passive stimulation. Moreover, significant layer-specific functional differences in SI activity were observed during active discrimination. These differences could not be explained solely by variations in ascending thalamocortical input to SI. Instead, these results suggest that top-down influences during active discrimination may alter the overall functional nature of SI as well as layer-specific mechanisms of tactile processing.
在大鼠执行依赖触须的触觉辨别任务时，记录初级体感皮层（SI）触须区域各层的神经元群体活动。将该活动与类似的被动触须刺激诱发的SI活动进行比较，发现在主动和被动刺激期间触觉信号处理存在根本差异。此外，在主动辨别过程中观察到SI活动存在显著的层特异性功能差异。这些差异不能仅由丘脑皮质向SI的上行输入变化来解释。相反，这些结果表明，主动辨别过程中的自上而下的影响可能会改变SI的整体功能性质以及触觉处理的层特异性机制。
