When outgoing and incoming signals meet: new insights from the zona incerta.
In the sense of touch, it is the motion of the sensory receptors themselves that leads to an afferent signal-whether these receptors are in our fingertips sliding along a surface or a rat's whiskers palpating an object. Afferent signals can be correctly interpreted only if the sensory system receives information about the brain's own motor output. In this issue of Neuron, Urbain and Deschênes provide new insights into the physiological and anatomical interplay between tactile and motor signals in rats.
Diamond
Mathew E
ME
Cognitive Neuroscience Sector, International School for Advanced Studies, 34014 Trieste, Italy. diamond@sissa.it
Ahissar
Ehud
E
D000818:Animals; D005246:Feedback / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D020656:Posterior Thalamic Nuclei / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D020530:Subthalamus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*; D014738:Vibrissae / Q000502:physiology*