Multisensory convergence and interaction in the pulvinar-lateralis posterior complex of the cat's thalamus.
Responsiveness to visual, acoustic and somesthesic stimuli was studied in 260 units recorded within the associative thalamic nuclei of the cat (pulvinar-lateralis posterior complex and posterior group). Of the 123 units responding to one or more stimuli 41 (corresponding to 15% of the total) showed multisensory convergence. Bimodal, visual-somesthesic convergence was the most common finding, occurring in 33 units. Visual-somesthesic inhibitory interaction was observed only in the pulvinar nucleus, suggesting a peculiar synaptic organization of multisensory input to this nucleus.
D000818:Animals; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002415:Cats; D003655:Decerebrate State / Q000503:physiopathology; D004597:Electroshock; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D013787:Thalamic Nuclei / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology