Showing papers on "Topographic map (neuroanatomy) published in 2000"

A mapping label required for normal scale of body representation in the cortex.

Abstract: The neocortical primary somatosensory area (S1) consists of a map of the body surface. The cortical area devoted to different regions, such as parts of the face or hands, reflects their functional importance. Here we investigated the role of genetically determined positional labels in neocortical mapping. Ephrin-A5 was expressed in a medial > lateral gradient across S1, whereas its receptor EphA4 was in a matching gradient across the thalamic ventrobasal (VB) complex, which provides S1 input. Ephrin-A5 had topographically specific effects on VB axon guidance in vitro. Ephrin-A5 gene disruption caused graded, topographically specific distortion in the S1 body map, with medial regions contracted and lateral regions expanded, changing relative areas up to 50% in developing and adult mice. These results provide evidence for within-area thalamocortical mapping labels and show that a genetic difference can cause a lasting change in relative scale of different regions within a topographic map.

Two mirror-image sensory maps with domain organization in the mouse main olfactory bulb.

Abstract: The glomerular sheet in the olfactory bulb (OB) provides an olfactory sensory map identifying which odorant receptors (ORs) in the nose are activated by inhaled odorants. How are the glomeruli spatially arranged in the OB? Using OCAM and neuropilin-1 (NP1) as molecular markers for target glomeruli of distinct subsets of olfactory axons, we demonstrate here that glomeruli are parceled into topographically distinct domains. Spatial arrangement of these domains suggests that each OB contains two mirror-image maps of the glomeruli. In situ hybridization shows that the glomeruli representing the same OR are symmetrically arranged; one in a domain in the lateral hemisphere and the other in a corresponding domain in the medial hemisphere of the OB. These results suggest that OB contains two symmetrical OR maps with similar domain organization.

Surgically created neural pathways mediate visual pattern discrimination

Abstract: Combined lesions of retinal targets and ascending auditory pathways can induce, in developing animals, permanent retinal projections to auditory thalamic nuclei and to visual thalamic nuclei that normally receive little direct retinal input. Neurons in the auditory cortex of such animals have visual response properties that resemble those of neurons in the primary visual cortex of normal animals. Therefore, we investigated the behavioral function of the surgically induced retino-thalamo-cortical pathways. We showed that both surgically induced pathways can mediate visually guided behaviors whose normal substrate, the pathway from the retina to the primary visual cortex via the primary thalamic visual nucleus, is missing.

Coding for auditory space in the superior colliculus of the rat.

Abstract: Although the rat is often used to determine behavioural sound-localization capabilities or neuronal computation of binaural information, the representation of auditory space in the rat brain has not been investigated so far. We obtained extracellular recordings from auditory neurons in the superior colliculus of anaesthetized rats and examined them for spatial tuning characteristics and topographical order. Many neurons (73%) showed significant tuning, with a single peak in the azimuth response profiles based on spike rates and response latencies. Best azimuth values from neurons in one SC were generally tuned to contralateral and rarely to frontal or ipsilateral directions. Tuning width was mostly broad; at supra-threshold sound pressure levels (35 dB SPL), 55% of the units had a tuning width of > 120 degrees in contralateral space. Additionally, tuning width increased with stimulation intensity. A significant but considerably scattered topographical order of best azimuth directions was observed in the deep layers of the superior colliculus with frontal directions being represented closer to the rostral pole. Tuned auditory units in the intermediate layers of the superior colliculus, however, showed no systematic spatial arrangement. This pattern was confirmed by analysing best azimuth directions from simultaneously recorded units. Our results indicate that the rat superior colliculus contains a representation of auditory space which is similar to that described for other small mammals.

Activity-Dependent Regulation of Substance P Expression and Topographic Map Maintenance by a Cholinergic Pathway

Abstract: We have assessed the role of activity in the adult frog visual system in modulating two aspects of neuronal plasticity: neurotransmitter expression and topographic map maintenance. Chronic treatment of one tectal lobe with the non-NMDA receptor antagonist, 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione decreased the percentage of substance P-like immunoreactive (SP-IR) tectal cells in the untreated lobe while disrupting topographic map formation in the treated one. Treatment with the NMDA receptor antagonistd-(−)-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (d-AP-5) disrupted the topographic map but had no affect on SP-IR cells. These results indicate that maintenance of the topographic map is dependent on direct input from the glutamatergic retinal ganglion cells, whereas substance P (SP) expression is being regulated by a pathway that relays activity from one tectal lobe to the other. Such a pathway is provided by the cholinergic nucleus isthmi, which is reciprocally connected to the ipsilateral tectum and sends a projection to the contralateral one. Mecamylamine and atropine, antagonists of nicotinic and muscarinic receptors, respectively, were used together to block all cholinergic activity or alone to block receptor subclass activity. All three treatments decreased SP expression and disrupted the topographic map in the treated tectal lobe. We conclude that both SP expression and topographic map maintenance in the adult optic tectum are activity-dependent processes. Although our results are consistent with the maintenance of the topographic map through an NMDA receptor-based mechanism, they suggest that SP expression is regulated by a cholinergic interaction that depends on retinal ganglion cell input only for its activation.