Superior sensation: superior colliculus participation in rat vibrissa system
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The superior colliculus, usually considered a visuomotor structure, is anatomically positioned to perform sensorimotor transformations in other modalities. While there is evidence for its potential participation in sensorimotor loops...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2007-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Neuroscience |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2202/8/12 |
| _version_ | 1818050348840910848 |
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| author | Hemelt Marie E Keller Asaf |
| author_facet | Hemelt Marie E Keller Asaf |
| author_sort | Hemelt Marie E |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The superior colliculus, usually considered a visuomotor structure, is anatomically positioned to perform sensorimotor transformations in other modalities. While there is evidence for its potential participation in sensorimotor loops of the rodent vibrissa system, little is known about its functional role in vibrissa sensation or movement. In anesthetized rats, we characterized extracellularly recorded responses of collicular neurons to different types of vibrissa stimuli.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Collicular neurons had large receptive fields (median = 14.5 vibrissae). Single units displayed responses with short latencies (5.6 ± 0.2 msec, median = 5.5) and relatively large magnitudes (1.2 ± 0.1 spikes/stimulus, median = 1.2). Individual neurons could entrain to repetitive vibrissa stimuli delivered at ≤ 20 Hz, with little reduction in phase locking, even when response magnitude was decreased. Neurons responded preferentially to vibrissa deflections at particular angles, with 43% of the cells having high (≥ 5) angular selectivity indices.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Results are consistent with a proposed role of the colliculus in somatosensory-mediated orienting. These properties, together with the connections of the superior colliculus in sensorimotor loops, are consistent with its involvement in orienting, alerting and attentive functions related to the vibrissa system.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T10:52:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f70291121c5046098101ed2da4969894 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2202 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T10:52:03Z |
| publishDate | 2007-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-f70291121c5046098101ed2da49698942022-12-22T01:51:58ZengBMCBMC Neuroscience1471-22022007-01-01811210.1186/1471-2202-8-12Superior sensation: superior colliculus participation in rat vibrissa systemHemelt Marie EKeller Asaf<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The superior colliculus, usually considered a visuomotor structure, is anatomically positioned to perform sensorimotor transformations in other modalities. While there is evidence for its potential participation in sensorimotor loops of the rodent vibrissa system, little is known about its functional role in vibrissa sensation or movement. In anesthetized rats, we characterized extracellularly recorded responses of collicular neurons to different types of vibrissa stimuli.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Collicular neurons had large receptive fields (median = 14.5 vibrissae). Single units displayed responses with short latencies (5.6 ± 0.2 msec, median = 5.5) and relatively large magnitudes (1.2 ± 0.1 spikes/stimulus, median = 1.2). Individual neurons could entrain to repetitive vibrissa stimuli delivered at ≤ 20 Hz, with little reduction in phase locking, even when response magnitude was decreased. Neurons responded preferentially to vibrissa deflections at particular angles, with 43% of the cells having high (≥ 5) angular selectivity indices.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Results are consistent with a proposed role of the colliculus in somatosensory-mediated orienting. These properties, together with the connections of the superior colliculus in sensorimotor loops, are consistent with its involvement in orienting, alerting and attentive functions related to the vibrissa system.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2202/8/12 |
| spellingShingle | Hemelt Marie E Keller Asaf Superior sensation: superior colliculus participation in rat vibrissa system BMC Neuroscience |
| title | Superior sensation: superior colliculus participation in rat vibrissa system |
| title_full | Superior sensation: superior colliculus participation in rat vibrissa system |
| title_fullStr | Superior sensation: superior colliculus participation in rat vibrissa system |
| title_full_unstemmed | Superior sensation: superior colliculus participation in rat vibrissa system |
| title_short | Superior sensation: superior colliculus participation in rat vibrissa system |
| title_sort | superior sensation superior colliculus participation in rat vibrissa system |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2202/8/12 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hemeltmariee superiorsensationsuperiorcolliculusparticipationinratvibrissasystem AT kellerasaf superiorsensationsuperiorcolliculusparticipationinratvibrissasystem |