title: Somatosensory cells in the parieto-occipital area V6A of the macaque.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess whether neurones of area V6A, a part of Brodmann's area 19, are modulated by passive somatosensory stimulations. Extracellular activity was recorded in four awake while passive tactile stimulations of the skin and passive rotations of the joints were performed in complete darkness and under eye movement control. Out of 240 V6A units, 78 (32%) were modulated by somatosensory stimulations. The majority of somatic receptive fields were located on both proximal and distal parts of the contralateral arm. V6A somatosensory cells may play a role in the feedback control of the actual state of the arm while reaching its target in peripersonal space.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human and General Physiology, University of Bologna, Piazza Porta San Donato 2, I-40127 Bologna, Italy. breveglieri@biocfarm.unibo.it
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Breveglieri
authors.forename: Dieter F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Kutz
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fattori
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gamberini
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galletti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003624:Darkness; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005133:Eye Movements; D007839:Functional Laterality; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology