HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (14) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hartings, J. A. Articles by Simons, D. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hartings, J. A. Articles by Simons, D. J.

Processing of Periodic Whisker Deflections By Neurons in the Ventroposterior Medial and Thalamic Reticular Nuclei

Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261

Submitted 15 May 2003; accepted in final form 7 August 2003

Rats employ rhythmic whisker movements to sample information in their sensory environment. To study frequency tuning and filtering characteristics of thalamic circuitry, we recorded single-unit responses of ventroposterior medial (VPm) and thalamic reticular (Rt) neurons to 1- to 40-Hz sinusoidal and pulsatile whisker deflection in lightly narcotized rats. Neuronal entrainment was assessed by a measure of the relative modulation (RM) of firing at the stimulus frequency given by the first harmonic (F1) of the cycle time histogram divided by the mean firing rate (F0). VPm signaling of both sinusoidal and periodic pulsatile whisker movements improved gradually over 1–16 and was maximal at 20–40 Hz. By contrast, the RM of Rt responses increased over 1–8 Hz, but deteriorated progressively over the 12- to 40-Hz range. In Rt, response adaptation occurred at lower stimulus frequencies and to a greater extent than in VPm. Within a train of high-frequency stimuli, Rt responses progressively decremented, possibly due to the accumulation of inhibition, whereas those of VPm neurons augmented. Mean firing rates in Rt increased 42 spikes/s over 1–40 Hz, providing tonic (low RM) inhibition during high-frequency stimulation that may enhance VPm signal-to-noise ratios. Consistent with this view, VPm mean firing rates increased only 13 spikes/s over 1–40 Hz, and inter-deflection activity was suppressed to a greater extent than stimulus-evoked responses. Rt inhibition is likely to act in concert with actions of neuromodulators in optimizing thalamic temporal signaling of high-frequency whisker movements.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Evrard and N. Ropert Early Development of the Thalamic Inhibitory Feedback Loop in the Primary Somatosensory System of the Newborn Mice J. Neurosci., August 5, 2009; 29(31): 9930 - 9940. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. E. Heiss, Y. Katz, E. Ganmor, and I. Lampl Shift in the Balance between Excitation and Inhibition during Sensory Adaptation of S1 Neurons J. Neurosci., December 3, 2008; 28(49): 13320 - 13330. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Temereanca, E. N. Brown, and D. J. Simons Rapid Changes in Thalamic Firing Synchrony during Repetitive Whisker Stimulation J. Neurosci., October 29, 2008; 28(44): 11153 - 11164. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z. Tan, H. Hu, Z. J. Huang, and A. Agmon Robust but delayed thalamocortical activation of dendritic-targeting inhibitory interneurons PNAS, February 12, 2008; 105(6): 2187 - 2192. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J. Higley and D. Contreras Frequency Adaptation Modulates Spatial Integration of Sensory Responses in the Rat Whisker System J Neurophysiol, May 1, 2007; 97(5): 3819 - 3824. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Quairiaux, M. Armstrong-James, and E. Welker Modified Sensory Processing in the Barrel Cortex of the Adult Mouse After Chronic Whisker Stimulation J Neurophysiol, March 1, 2007; 97(3): 2130 - 2147. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Katz, J. E. Heiss, and I. Lampl Cross-Whisker Adaptation of Neurons in the Rat Barrel Cortex J. Neurosci., December 20, 2006; 26(51): 13363 - 13372. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Deleuze and J. R. Huguenard Distinct Electrical and Chemical Connectivity Maps in the Thalamic Reticular Nucleus: Potential Roles in Synchronization and Sensation. J. Neurosci., August 15, 2006; 26(33): 8633 - 8645. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. M. Webber and G. B. Stanley Transient and Steady-State Dynamics of Cortical Adaptation J Neurophysiol, May 1, 2006; 95(5): 2923 - 2932. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Golomb, E. Ahissar, and D. Kleinfeld Coding of Stimulus Frequency by Latency in Thalamic Networks Through the Interplay of GABAB-Mediated Feedback and Stimulus Shape J Neurophysiol, March 1, 2006; 95(3): 1735 - 1750. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Khatri, J. A. Hartings, and D. J. Simons Adaptation in Thalamic Barreloid and Cortical Barrel Neurons to Periodic Whisker Deflections Varying in Frequency and Velocity J Neurophysiol, December 1, 2004; 92(6): 3244 - 3254. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. I. Moore Frequency-Dependent Processing in the Vibrissa Sensory System J Neurophysiol, June 1, 2004; 91(6): 2390 - 2399. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]