Somatotopic Mapping of the Developing Sensorimotor Cortex in the Preterm Human Brain.

ABSTRACT: In the mature mammalian brain, the primary somatosensory and motor cortices are known to be spatially organized such that neural activity relating to specific body parts can be somatopically mapped onto an anatomical "homunculus". This organization creates an internal body representation which is fundamental for precise motor control, spatial awareness and social interaction. Although it is unknown when this organization develops in humans, animal studies suggest that it may emerge even before the time of normal birth. We therefore characterized the somatotopic organization of the primary sensorimotor cortices using functional MRI and a set of custom-made robotic tools in 35 healthy preterm infants aged from 31 + 6 to 36 + 3 weeks postmenstrual age. Functional responses induced by somatose

SUBMITTER: Dall'Orso S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5998947 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature