Somatotopic reorganization in the brainstem and thalamus following peripheral nerve injury in adult primates.
Injury-induced reorganization of central somatotopic maps is a phenomenon that has proven to be useful for elucidating the mechanisms and time course of neural plasticity. To date, the overwhelming majority of this line of research has focused on such plastic events in cortical areas, at the expense of subcortical structures. In this study, we used multi-unit electrophysiological recording techniques to assess the somatotopic organization of brainstem and thalamic areas following chronic survival from paired median and ulnar nerve section in adult squirrel monkeys. We report that the extent of cutaneously-driven reorganization in both the cuneate nucleus of the brainstem and the ventroposterior lateral nucleus of the thalamus is comparable to that previously documented for area 3b of cortex. These observations are consistent with those previously reported in thalamus, and are unique for brainstem.
Churchill
J D
JD
Program in Neural Science, Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. churchll@uiuc.edu
Arnold
L L
LL
Garraghty
P E
PE
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D012453:Saimiri / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*; D020651:Ventral Thalamic Nuclei / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*