Journal Article

PreJuSER-112040

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Excitatory neuronal connectivity in the barrel cortex

Feldmeyer, D.FZJ*

2012
Frontiers Research Foundation Lausanne

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Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/7813  doi:10.3389/fnana.2012.00024

Abstract: Neocortical areas are believed to be organized into vertical modules, the cortical columns, and the horizontal layers 1-6. In the somatosensory barrel cortex these columns are defined by the readily discernible barrel structure in layer 4. Information processing in the neocortex occurs along vertical and horizontal axes, thereby linking individual barrel-related columns via axons running through the different cortical layers of the barrel cortex. Long-range signaling occurs within the neocortical layers but also through axons projecting through the white matter to other neocortical areas and subcortical brain regions. Because of the ease of identification of barrel-related columns, the rodent barrel cortex has become a prototypical system to study the interactions between different neuronal connections within a sensory cortical area and between this area and other cortical as well subcortical regions. Such interactions will be discussed specifically for the feed-forward and feedback loops between the somatosensory and the somatomotor cortices as well as the different thalamic nuclei. In addition, recent advances concerning the morphological characteristics of excitatory neurons and their impact on the synaptic connectivity patterns and signaling properties of neuronal microcircuits in the whisker-related somatosensory cortex will be reviewed. In this context, their relationship between the structural properties of barrel-related columns and their function as a module in vertical synaptic signaling in the whisker-related cortical areas will be discussed.

Keyword(s): J ; barrel cortex (auto) ; cortical column (auto) ; excitatory connections (auto) ; long-range collaterals (auto) ; pyramidal cell (auto) ; somatosensory cortex (auto) ; spiny stellate cell (auto)

Note: I would like to thank Dr. Ted Abel for reading a previous version of the manuscript. Furthermore, I would also like to thank Dr. Gabriele Radnikow for many helpful suggestions and careful reading of the final version of this manuscript. This work was supported by the Helmholtz Foundation and project grants form the Helmholtz Alliance on Systems Biology and DFG Research Group "Barrel Cortex Function."

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Molekulare Organisation des Gehirns (INM-2)

Research Program(s):

1. Funktion und Dysfunktion des Nervensystems (FUEK409) (FUEK409)
2. 89571 - Connectivity and Activity (POF2-89571) (POF2-89571)

Appears in the scientific report 2012

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Database coverage:
; ; ; ; BIOSIS Previews ; JCR ; NCBI Molecular Biology Database ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Thomson Reuters Master Journal List ; Web of Science Core Collection

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