Somatotopic organization and cortical projections of the ventrobasal complex of the flying fox: an "inverted" wing representation in the thalamus |
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| Authors: | Paul R Manger Marcello G P Rosa Rita Collins |
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| Institution: | 1. Vision, Touch and Hearing Research Centre, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia and Karolinska Institutet, Division of Neuroanatomy and Brain Development, Department of Neuroscience, Berzelius v?g 3, plan 5, S-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden;2. Vision, Touch and Hearing Research Centre, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia;3. Vision, Touch and Hearing Research Centre, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia E-mail:Paul.Manger@neuro.ki.se |
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| Abstract: | The present study investigates the somatotopic representation in the somatosensory thalamus of a megachiropteran bat. Using standard microelectrode mapping techniques, representational maps were generated for the ventrobasal (Vb) and posterior (Po) thalamic complexes of the Grey-headed flying fox. Anatomical tracing from neocortical injections provided additional data confirming the somatotopy found physiologically. A full representation of the body surface innervated by the trigeminal and spinal nerves was found. However, in contrast with other mammals, the representations of the forelimb and adjacent thoracic trunk within the thalamus were inverted. This means that the distal portions of the wing membrane and the tips of the digits were represented dorsally in Vb, and the thoracic trunk was represented ventrally. In Po the digit tips were represented in the ventral most portion and the thoracic trunk in the dorsal portion of the nucleus.These results are discussed in relation to similarities of megachiropteran somatosensory thalamic nuclei to those of other mammalian species and in relation to the formation of thalamic somatotopic maps and fiber sorting. |
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| Keywords: | Chiroptera Evolution Somatotopy Representational Maps Ventral Basal Complex Posterior Thalamic Complex |
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