Comprehensive mapping of whisker-evoked responses reveals broad, sharply tuned thalamocortical input to layer 4 of barrel cortex.

ABSTRACT: Cortical neurons are organized in columns, distinguishable by their physiological properties and input-output organization. Columns are thought to be the fundamental information-processing modules of the cortex. The barrel cortex of rats and mice is an attractive model system for the study of cortical columns, because each column is defined by a layer 4 (L4) structure called a barrel, which can be clearly visualized. A great deal of information has been collected regarding the connectivity of neurons in barrel cortex, but the nature of the input to a given L4 barrel remains unclear. We measured this input by making comprehensive maps of whisker-evoked activity in L4 of rat barrel cortex using recordings of multiunit activity and current source density analysis of local field potential reco

SUBMITTER: Roy NC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3094161 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature