TY - JOUR
T1 - A comparison of pattern formation by thalamocortical and serotonergic afferents in the rat barrel field cortex
AU - Blue, M. E.
AU - Erzurumlu, R. S.
AU - Jhaveri, S.
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank Drs. M. V. Johnston, L. A. Maraounas, and R. W. Rhoades for their comments on an earlier version of the manuscript and Drs. J. Haring, M. F. Jacquin, and T. A. Woolsey for their valuable discussions of the results presented in this study. This research was supported by NIH Grants NS27678 and NS28208.
PY - 1991/9
Y1 - 1991/9
N2 - In the present study we compare the formation of vibrissa-related patterns by thalamocortical afferents from the ventrobasal (VB) nucleus to that by raphe-cortical, serotonergic afferents from the raphe nuclei. In opposite hemispheres of the same brain, 1,1'-dioctadecyl- 3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (Oil) labeling of VB afferents and serotonin (5-HT) immuno- histochemistry reveal that the pattern of vibrissa-specific patches is first exhibited by thalamocortical axons in barrel field cortex. Shortly thereafter, 5-HT axons form patches in the same locations as the dense concentrations of VB afferents. To assess a possible role of 5-HT afferents in the specification of barrel field cortex, neonatal rat pups were administered p-chloroamphetamine (PCA), a selective 5-HT neurotoxin. The formation of vibrissa-related patterns by thalamocortical and serotonergic afferents was compared in normal and PCA-treated rat pups at various developmental stages. PCA treatment led to a significant decrease in the number of serotonergic axons in barrel field cortex. Despite this decrease, VB afferents segregated in patches over individual barrels. However, a delay in the emergence of the thalamocortical pattern was noted in toxin-treated animals. We conclude that PCA treatment does not prevent formation of a vibrissa-specific pattern by thalamocortical afferents, and discuss the possibility that the 5-HT axons may play a trophic role in the maturation of VB afferents!.
AB - In the present study we compare the formation of vibrissa-related patterns by thalamocortical afferents from the ventrobasal (VB) nucleus to that by raphe-cortical, serotonergic afferents from the raphe nuclei. In opposite hemispheres of the same brain, 1,1'-dioctadecyl- 3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (Oil) labeling of VB afferents and serotonin (5-HT) immuno- histochemistry reveal that the pattern of vibrissa-specific patches is first exhibited by thalamocortical axons in barrel field cortex. Shortly thereafter, 5-HT axons form patches in the same locations as the dense concentrations of VB afferents. To assess a possible role of 5-HT afferents in the specification of barrel field cortex, neonatal rat pups were administered p-chloroamphetamine (PCA), a selective 5-HT neurotoxin. The formation of vibrissa-related patterns by thalamocortical and serotonergic afferents was compared in normal and PCA-treated rat pups at various developmental stages. PCA treatment led to a significant decrease in the number of serotonergic axons in barrel field cortex. Despite this decrease, VB afferents segregated in patches over individual barrels. However, a delay in the emergence of the thalamocortical pattern was noted in toxin-treated animals. We conclude that PCA treatment does not prevent formation of a vibrissa-specific pattern by thalamocortical afferents, and discuss the possibility that the 5-HT axons may play a trophic role in the maturation of VB afferents!.
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U2 - 10.1093/cercor/1.5.380
DO - 10.1093/cercor/1.5.380
M3 - Article
C2 - 1822748
AN - SCOPUS:0026217294
SN - 1047-3211
VL - 1
SP - 380
EP - 389
JO - Cerebral Cortex
JF - Cerebral Cortex
IS - 5
ER -