Reed JL, Qi HX, Zhou Z, Bernard MR, Burish MJ, Bonds AB, Kaas JH. Response properties of neurons in primary somatosensory cortex of owl monkeys reflect widespread spatiotemporal integration.
J Neurophysiol 2010;
103:2139-57. [PMID:
20164400 PMCID:
PMC2853283 DOI:
10.1152/jn.00709.2009]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2009] [Accepted: 02/11/2010] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Receptive fields of neurons in somatosensory area 3b of monkeys are typically described as restricted to part of a single digit or palm pad. However, such neurons are likely involved in integrating stimulus information from across the hand. To evaluate this possibility, we recorded from area 3b neurons in anesthetized owl monkeys with 100-electrode arrays, stimulating two hand locations with electromechanical probes simultaneously or asynchronously. Response magnitudes and latencies of single- and multiunits varied with stimulus conditions, and multiunit responses were similar to single-unit responses. The mean peak firing rate for single neurons stimulated within the preferred location was estimated to be ∼26 spike/s. Simultaneous stimulation with a second probe outside the preferred location slightly decreased peak firing rates to ∼22 spike/s. When the nonpreferred stimulus preceded the preferred stimulus by 10-500 ms, peak firing rates were suppressed with greatest suppression when the nonpreferred stimulus preceded by 30 ms (∼7 spike/s). The mean latency for single neurons stimulated within the preferred location was ∼23 ms, and latency was little affected by simultaneous paired stimulation. However, when the nonpreferred stimulus preceded the preferred stimulus by 10 ms, latencies shortened to ∼16 ms. Response suppression occurred even when stimuli were separated by long distances (nonadjacent digits) or long times (500 ms onset asynchrony). Facilitation, though rare, occurred most often when the stimulus onsets were within 0-30 ms of each other. These findings quantify spatiotemporal interactions and support the hypothesis that area 3b is involved in widespread stimulus integration.
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