SOMATOSENSORY CORTEX & THALAMUS

本子项目是利用由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源的众多研究子项目之一。子项目和研究者（PI）可能已经从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金，因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。列出的机构是中心的，不一定是研究者的机构。目的：虽然第5区一直被认为是一个专门参与处理躯体输入的后顶叶区域，但我们的实验室最近在新大陆和旧大陆猴子身上获得的证据，以及其他实验室的工作表明，这一皮层区域也参与处理视觉输入，并与运动系统密切相关。越来越多的证据表明，第5区可能是一个“中央计划器”，在有意伸手和抓握时监测肢体位置，将感觉位置转换为有意运动的运动坐标，以及在额外的个人空间中感知身体的运动。本研究的目的是确定后顶叶区5在视觉引导和非视觉引导下的伸手和抓握、物体操作、双手的双边协调以及大脑半球间的信息传递中的作用。这项研究首次尝试将现代神经解剖学、电生理学和损伤技术结合起来，以确定单个皮质场在产生复杂手部使用中的作用。此外，这是少数利用电生理学和神经解剖学技术来检查皮层损伤后发生的长期皮层变化，随后进行行为训练的研究之一。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Objective: While area 5 has been considered a posterior parietal field involved exclusively in processing somatic inputs, recent evidence from our laboratory in both New World and Old World monkeys, as well as work from other laboratories, indicate that this cortical area is also involved in processing visual inputs, and is closely associated with the motor system. Accumulating evidence indicates that area 5 may be a "central planner" critical for monitoring limb location during intended reaching and grasping, converting sensory locations into motor coordinates for intentional movement, and in perceiving the movements of the body in extra personal space. The goal of the present investigation is to determine the role of posterior parietal area 5 in visually guided and non-visually guided reaching and grasping, object manipulation, bilateral coordination of the hands, and information transfer across the cerebral hemispheres. This study represents one of the first attempts to combine modern neuroanatomical, electrophysiological, and lesioning techniques to determine the contribution of a single cortical field involved in generating sophisticated hand use. Further, it is one of the few studies that utilizes electrophysiological and neuroanatomical techniques to examine the long-term cortical changes that occur after cortical damage, followed by behavioral training.