Nucleus ventralis posteromedialis neurons relaying somatosensory lingual input to the cerebral cortex in the cat.
The cortical projection of somatosensory lingual units in the nucleus ventralis posteromedialis (VPM) of the thalamus was studied in urethane-chloralose anesthetized cats. Ipsilateral lingual units were recorded from the lateral subdivision of nucleus ventralis posteromedialis parvocellularis (VPMpcl). They were antidromically excited following electrical stimulation of the ventral aspect of the coronal gyrus or its caudally adjacent orbital gyrus. From these same cortical areas, positive surface potentials were recorded following electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral lingual nerve. Electrical stimulation of the same cortical areas elicited jaw opening movement. Contralateral somatosensory lingual units were recorded from the VPM proper. They were antidromically excited following electrical stimulation of the SI somatosensory cortex.
Nishikawa
Y
Y
Department of Physiology, Osaka Dental University, Japan.
Hasegawa
A
A
Koyama
N
N
Yokota
T
T
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000502:physiology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D013787:Thalamic Nuclei / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D014059:Tongue / Q000294:innervation*