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The second somatic sensory area (smII) of opossum neocortex
Author(s) -
Pubols Benjamin H.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.901740105
Subject(s) - forelimb , sensory system , hindlimb , neocortex , opossum , neuroscience , anatomy , biology , somatosensory system , receptive field , scratching , trunk , physics , ecology , acoustics
Organization of the neocortical second somatic sensory area (SmII) of anesthetized Virginia opossums has been examined utilizing microelectrode recording techniques. SmII is situated between the first somatic sensory area (SmI) medially, and the rhinal fissure laterally. The head representation is located anteromedially within SmII, and the hindlimb representation posterolaterally, with the forelimb representation in between. Approximately 49% of SmII is devoted to representation of the head, 36% to forelimb representation, and 15% to trunk and hindlimb representation. All peripheral receptive fields (RF's) were either contralateral or bilateral. Approximately 63% of head RF's, 25% of forelimb RF's and 100% of hindlimb RF's were bilateral. For a given body locus, SmII RF's are larger than those for SmI. SmII is contained entirely within an area yielding evoked potentials responses to auditory click stimuli.