Tactile information from the vibrissal system modulates hippocampal functioning.

ABSTRACT: Most mammals have sensory tactile hairs, also known as whiskers or vibrissae. Traditionally, whiskers are associated with diverse survival skills, including tactile discrimination, distance assessment, food acquisition, gap crossing, and social interaction. Vibrissae functions are processed in the somatosensorial cortex, commonly referred to as the barrel cortex. Hence, most of the whisker-related research has been focused on this cortical region. However, increasing evidence indicates that the vibrissal system modulates several aspects of hippocampal physiology. This graphical review aims to summarize cumulative evidence indicating that whiskers regulate the neural function and cellularity in several hippocampal subfields. Interestingly, lack of whiskers notably affects neuronal firing in

SUBMITTER: Ibarra-Castaneda N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9140216 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature