Open AccessSomatosensory mechanical response and digit somatotopy within cortical areas of the postcentral gyrus in humans: An MEG study
Author(s) -
Inoue Ken,
Nakanishi Kazuyoshi,
Hadoush Hikmat,
Kurumadani Hiroshi,
Hashizume Akira,
Sunagawa Toru,
Ochi Mitsuo
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
human brain mapping
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.005
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1097-0193
pISSN - 1065-9471
DOI - 10.1002/hbm.22012
Subject(s) - postcentral gyrus , somatosensory system , numerical digit , anatomy , decompression , somatosensory evoked potential , compression (physics) , index finger , little finger , thumb , neuroscience , medicine , psychology , physics , mathematics , surgery , arithmetic , thermodynamics
Somatosensory evoked fields in response to compression (termed as Co) and decompression (termed as De) of glabrous skin (D1, thumb; D2, index finger; D5, little finger) were recorded. Although estimated equivalent current dipoles (ECDs) following stimulation of D1 and D5 were larger, but not significantly larger, in decompression than in compression, those of D2 were significantly larger ( P = 0.035). The ECDs were located in the postcentral gyrus in the order of D5De, D2De, and D1De medially, posteriorly, and superiorly in decompression but not in compression ( z ‐value, F = 2.692, P = 0.031). The average distance of ECDs between D1 and D5 was longer in decompression (12.8 ± 1.6 mm) than in compression (9.1 ± 1.6 mm). Our data suggest that the cortical response for the commonly used digit D2 is functionally different from those for other digits (D1 and D5) that the somatotopic variability is greater in compression. Hum Brain Mapp, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.