Impact of Somatosensory Input in Auditory Processing

Parent Grant探索了A1后面的经典听觉关联皮层的一个或多个区域是多感觉会聚的部位，因为它们对体感刺激以及声音做出反应。这一令人惊讶的发现质疑了一个流行的观点，即多感觉整合仅限于专门的，更高层次的“协会”结构。它也关系到一个基本问题，即听觉和躯体感觉系统是否像视觉通路那样有“什么”和“哪里”的划分。解剖示踪剂研究结合麻醉猴中的标准多单位/单单位标测程序和清醒猴中的多电极研究将解决1。躯体感觉表征与先前定义的听觉场的关系。2.躯体感觉输入的解剖学来源。3.大脑皮层-躯体感觉共同表征的功能意义。FIRCA项目将对上述第3项进行补充分析。我们将讨论1）听觉皮层体感输入的生理影响，2）听觉皮层的躯体受体区域与躯体感觉输入源之间的层次关系; 3）通过解剖重建选定的躯体感觉“输入”与听觉“受体”之间的投射来扩展生理学发现。由特定目标1识别的位点对。

The Parent Grant explores the finding that one or more regions of classic auditory association cortex posterior to A1 are sites of multisensory convergence, in that, they respond to somatosensory stimuli, as well .as sounds. This surprising finding disputes a prevailing view that multisensory integration is confined to specialized, higher order "association" structures. It also bears on the fundamental question of whether auditory and somatosensory systems have "what" and "where" divisions like those proposed for the visual pathways. Anatomical tracer studies, in conjunction with standard multiunit/single unit mapping procedures in anesthetized monkeys and with multielectrode studies in awake monkeys will address 1. the relationship of somatosensory representation to previously defined auditory fields. 2. the anatomical source(s) of somatosensory input. 3. the functional significance of auditory-somatosensory co- representation. This FIRCA Project will conduct an analysis supplementary to number 3 above. We will address 1)the physiological impact of somatosensory input in auditory cortex, targeting somatosensory source sites identified by the parent grant 2) the hierarchial relationships between somato-recipient regions of auditory cortex and the somatosensory input sources and 3) expansion of physiological findings by anatomical reconstruction of the projections between selected somatosensory "input" and auditory "recipient" site pairs identified by Specific Aim 1.