Neural correlates of vibrissa resonance: Band-pass and somatotopic representation of high-frequency stimuli
Neural correlates of vibrissa resonance: Band-pass and somatotopic representation of high-frequency stimuli
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DOI：
10.1016/s0896-6273(04)00198-9
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发表时间：
2004-05-13
期刊：
影响因子：
16.2
通讯作者：
Moore, CI
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Andermann, ML;Ritt, J;Moore, CI
老鼠脸上的触须阵列是高分辨率触觉传感系统的第一阶段。最近，人们发现，当触须(胡须)在特定频率受到刺激时会产生共振，运动幅度会增加几倍。我们通过呈现低幅度、高频的触觉刺激，研究了三叉神经节和初级躯体感觉皮层(SI)神经元(规则和快速放电单位)中触觉共振的神经相关性。我们发现，体感神经元表现出带通调谐和对小幅度刺激的敏感性增强，反映了触觉运动的共振放大。此外，在SI中观察到一种推测的频率选择性体位图，等频柱沿着触须弧线延伸，与触须垫上的触觉共振的梯度一致。这些发现表明，在触觉系统和听觉系统的频率处理之间有几个相似之处，并对触觉信息的检测和辨别具有重要意义。
The array of vibrissae on a rat's face is the first stage of a high-resolution tactile sensing system. Recently, it was discovered that vibrissae (whiskers) resonate when stimulated at specific frequencies, generating several-fold increases in motion amplitude. We investigated the neural correlates of vibrissa resonance in trigeminal ganglion and primary somatosensory cortex (SI) neurons (regular and fast spiking units) by presenting low-amplitude, high-frequency vibrissa stimulation. We found that somatosensory neurons showed band-pass tuning and enhanced sensitivity to small amplitude stimuli, reflecting the resonance amplification of vibrissa motion. Further, a putative somatotopic map of frequency selectivity was observed in SI, with isofrequency columns extending along the representations of arcs of vibrissae, in agreement with the gradient in vibrissa resonance across the vibrissa pad. These findings suggest several parallels between frequency processing in the vibrissa system and the auditory system and have important implications for detection and discrimination of tactile information.