Dawson D R, Killackey H P
J Comp Neurol. 1987 Feb 8;256(2):246-56. doi: 10.1002/cne.902560205.
The present study demonstrates that the primary somatosensory cortex of the rat contains a map of the entire body surface that is discernible with a routine anatomical staining technique, the succinic dehydrogenase reaction. The overall proportions of this map are relatively constant from rat to rat and very similar to those reported in previous physiological investigations (Welker: Brain Res. 26:259-275, '71, J. Comp. Neurol. 166:173-190, '76). We found 67% of the map to be related to the head of the rat, 15% to the forelimb, 14% to the trunk, and 4% to the hindlimb. Within the forelimb and hindlimb representations, there is a consistent internal organization that can be related to specific peripheral structures (digits or palm pads). Further, damage to either the periphery or the nerves innervating these regions on the day of birth produces disruptions in the normal pattern, but damage on day 6 or later does not. We interpret these results as indicating that the role of the periphery in organizing central neuronal structures during development previously demonstrated for the trigeminal system extends to the entire rat somatosensory system. Comparison of the present results with physiological studies of adult cortical maps after peripheral damage suggests to us that different substrates underlie the changes reported in the adult.
本研究表明，大鼠的主要体感皮层包含一张完整身体表面的图谱，该图谱可通过常规解剖染色技术——琥珀酸脱氢酶反应辨别出来。这张图谱的整体比例在不同大鼠之间相对恒定，并且与先前生理学研究报告的比例非常相似（韦尔克：《脑研究》26:259 - 275, '71；《比较神经学杂志》166:173 - 190, '76）。我们发现该图谱的67%与大鼠头部相关，15%与前肢相关，14%与躯干相关，4%与后肢相关。在前肢和后肢的表征区域内，存在一种与特定外周结构（指或掌垫）相关的一致内部组织。此外，出生当天对周边或支配这些区域的神经造成损伤会破坏正常模式，但在出生后第6天或更晚造成损伤则不会。我们将这些结果解释为表明，先前在三叉神经系统中证明的周边在发育过程中对中枢神经元结构组织的作用扩展到了整个大鼠体感系统。将本研究结果与周边损伤后成年皮层图谱的生理学研究进行比较，这让我们认为成年后报告的变化有不同的基础。
