Modulation of somatosensory evoked responses in the primary somatosensory cortex produced by intracortical microstimulation of the motor cortex in the monkey

Summary Previous studies have shown that the amplitude of somatosensory evoked potentials is diminished prior to, and during, voluntary limb movement. The present study investigated the role of the motor cortex in mediating this movement-related modulation in three chronically prepared, awake monkeys by applying low intensity intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) to different sites within the area 4 representation of the arm. Air puff stimuli were applied to the contralateral arm or adjacent trunk at various delays following the ICMS. Somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded from the primary somatosensory cortex, areas 1 and 3b, with an intracortical microelectrode. The principal finding of this study was that very weak ICMS, itself producing at most a slight, localized, muscle twitch, produced a profound decrease in the magnitude of the short latency component of the somatosensory evoked potentials in the awake money. Higher intensities of ICMS (suprathreshold for eliciting electromyographic (EMG) activity in the target muscle, i.e. that muscle activated by area 4 stimulation) were more likely to decrease the evoked response and produced an even greater decrease. The modulation appeared to be, in part, central in origin since (i) it preceded the onset of EMG activity in 23% of experiments, (ii) direct stimulation of the muscle activated by ICMS, which mimicked the feedback associated with the small ICMS-induced twitch, was often ineffective and (iii) the modulation was observed in the absence of EMG activity. Peripheral feedback, however, may also make a contribution. The results also indicate that the efferent signals from the motor cortex can diminish responses in the somatosensory cortex evoked by cutaneous stimuli, in a manner related to the somatotopic order. The effects are organized so that the modulation is directed towards those neurones serving skin areas overlying, or distal to, the motor output.     

Ionotropic glutamate receptor-mediated responses in the rat primary somatosensory cortex evoked by noxious and innocuous cutaneous stimulation in vivo

To examine the involvement of different ionotropic glutamate receptors in the mediation of responses evoked by noxious cutaneous stimulation, single unit recordings were made from 31 neurons in the primary somatosensory (SI) cortex of rats anesthetized with urethane. To compare synaptic receptor pharmacology across somatosensory submodalities, 13 of the neurons were also tested with an innocuous, cutaneous air jet stimulus. Mechanical (HT) responses, evoked by a 5-s noxious pinch, decayed gradually upon termination of the stimulus and lasted on average for 15.1+/-1.9 s (+/-SEM; n=10). An increase in baseline activity was also observed during noxious stimulus trials of 5-min stimulus intervals. A correlation between increase in mechanical or thermal HT responses and baseline activity was found for some neurons. However, the normalized ratios of the mechanical or thermal HT response to baseline activity during iontophoretic application of (RS)-3-(2-carboxypiperazine-4-yl)-propyl-l-phosphonic acid (CPP), an N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist (0.6+/-0.1; n=11, or 6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenz[f]quinoxaline-2,3-dione (NBQX), an (RS)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)/kainate receptor antagonist (0.8+/-0.1; n=11), suggest that the reductions in baseline activity did not account for the reductions of the mechanical or thermal HT responses observed, which were reduced proportionally more than the baseline activity. A 10-ms air jet evoked a biphasic increase in action potentials above an average background activity of 7+/-2 spikes/s (n=13). The early phase of this low-threshold (LT) response was within two or three 10-ms bins and had an average firing rate of 74+/-11 spikes/s evoked in the first 10-ms bin (n=13). In eight neurons, the early LT response was followed by a lower frequency excitatory component lasting an average of 415+/-92 ms. Iontophoretic application of CPP reduced responses evoked by a noxious pinch (21+/-10% of control responses; n=19) and a noxious thermal stimulus (24+/-18%; n=5). The fast component of the LT responses was only reduced to 85+/-4% (n=12). A slower component of the LT responses, when present, was also reduced by CPP (15+/-19%; n=4). Iontophoretic application of NBQX reduced responses evoked by a noxious pinch (42+/-12%; n=19) and a noxious thermal stimulus (63+/-16%; n=8). The fast component of the LT responses was reduced to 43+/-6% (n=12) and the slower component to 32+/-20% (n=6). These data show that both NMDA and AMPA/kainate receptors are involved in the mediation of SI high-threshold responses. This same combination of glutamate receptors also mediates low-threshold synaptic responses.     

Responses of cat motor cortex neurons to cortico-cortical and somatosensory inputs

Summary Intracellular techniques were used to investigate a cortico-cortical path from sensory cortex to motor cortex of cats. Cortico-cortical epsps were evoked in motor cortex neurons by microstimulation of area 3a. Epsps with latencies between 1.2 and 2.4 ms were identified as monosynaptic. These short latency cortico-cortical effects were recorded in layers II through VI of the motor cortex. Neurons with monosynaptic cortico-cortical epsps also received excitatory inputs from forelimb nerves, usually from both muscle and cutaneous afferent fibers. The epsps evoked from forelimb nerves in motor cortex neurons were preceded by neural activity in somatosensory cortex. Time delays between arrival of inputs in sensory cortex and in motor cortex were compared to the latencies of cortico-cortical epsps in the same motor cortex neurons. It was apparent that the timing was appropriate for the identified cortico-cortical path to have relayed some sensory inputs to motor cortex.Supported by the Medical Research Council of Canada (MT-7373, DG-186), the Harry Botterell Foundation for the Neurological Sciences, the Ontario Ministry of Health, and the Faculty of Medicine, Queen's UniversityRecipient of a Medical Research Council of Canada Studentship.Recipient of a Medical Research Council of Canada Fellowship     

The temporal evolution of the distribution of dendritic spines in the visual cortex of normal and dark raised mice

Summary A set of equations which define the distribution of spines along the apical dendrites have been developed. They are satisfied by the distribution of spines and its evolution with the age in the apicals of the layer V pyramidal cells of the visual cortex in normal and dark raised mice. The principal equation describes the distribution of the spines with three coefficients IF, B and K whose values have a functional relation with the age T of the animal. This relation has been defined by three additional equations whose coefficients were calculated. The equations have been used to predict the distribution of dendritic spines corresponding to age-groups of mice not previously studied and to find out the age of mice from the data of their known spine distribution resolving the inverse equations of IF (T) and B(T).     

Rapid effects of adult-onset hypothyroidism on dendritic spines of pyramidal cells of the rat cerebral cortex

Summary We have previously shown (Ruiz-Marcos et al. 1980, 1982) that thyroidectomy (T) performed in rats at 40 days of age, well past the neonatal period of development, results by 80–90 days of age in a decrease of the number of spines along the shaft of pyramidal neurons with the cell body in layer V in the visual area of the cerebral cortex. We have here studied how soon after the operation an effect on spine number and distribution may be observed. We have found that the response of these neurons to T is very rapid: a decrease in the number of spines/shaft between T and age-paired controls (C) rats is statistically significant by the earliest period of observation, namely 5 days after T. These results may be related to those of Dembri et al. (1983) showing that T performed in adult rats decreases the activity of Type I RNA polymerase by 5 days after the operation. It is possible that T impairs the synthesis of some compound(s) necessary for the formation and maintenance of spines. The present results suggest that spine number is not a fixed structure of the apical shaft once brain development is over, but is in a state of continuous formation and degradation. We have further observed that the effect of T performed at 40 days of age is more pronounced in the distal part of the shaft than on the rest, a result similar to that found after neonatal T (Ruiz-Marcos et al. 1982). However, contrary to findings after early hypothyroidism, T at 40 days of age does not distort the distribution of spines along the shaft.     

Neuronal architecture of the human temporal cortex

Summary The cortex of the superior, middle and inferior temporal gyri of the human cerebral hemispheres was investigated using Nissl, Golgi and fibre staining techniques. Brodmann's (1909) area 41, corresponding to the primary auditory cortex in Heschl's transverse temporal gyri, consisted of typical koniocortex, and formed the middle part of the superior temporal plane (the buried lower bank of the Sylvian fissure). Anteriorly the superior temporal plane contained area 22, and posteriorly the planum temporale (part of area 42). The lateral surfaces of the superior, middle and inferior temporal gyri respectively correspond to areas 22, 21 and 20. Neurons in much of the left temporal cortex, apart from area 41, formed radial columns. This columnar organisation was most pronounced posteriorly and superiorly, so that anterior area 20 was the least columnar and area 42 the most. The right temporal cortex was markedly less columnar than the left. Golgi studies showed a variety of pyramidal and non-pyramidal neurons, with specific varieties typical of individual cortical layers.This paper represents part of a study for the degree of Ph.D. in the National University of Singapore by WYO     

Early adaptations in somatosensory cortex after focal ischemic injury to motor cortex

In response to a lesion, intact regions of cortex in both hemispheres undergo adaptive changes in network function. For example, changes in excitability and intracortical inhibition in primary motor cortex (M1) were reported after lesioning contralateral or ipsilateral brain regions. Close interactions exist between M1 and primary somatosensory cortex (S1) within one hemisphere. Therefore, we hypothesized that lasting modifications would occur in S1 excitability after lesioning ipsilateral M1. Imaging of intrinsic optical signals (IOS, at 570 nm) was used to investigate the evolution of the somatosensory cortical response evoked by contralateral median nerve stimulation during the first hour after a photothrombotic lesion to M1 (caudal motor cortex) of the rat (n=10). Control rats (n=6) received no lesion. Perfusion was monitored by Laser speckle imaging and the extent of the resulting lesion was determined histologically. Control animals did not show evidence for reduced perfusion, infarction, or changes in IOS. M1 infarction led to a significant increase in evoked response amplitude, duration, and area of activation, and a shortening of latencies. These parameters reached a plateau around 50 min after ischemia. These results indicate S1 hyperexcitability after M1 injury. Whether these adaptations contribute to functional deficits or play a role in recovery, remains to be determined.     

Neuronal activity of somatosensory cortex in a cross-modal (visuo-haptic) memory task

Studies have shown that in the monkey′s associative cerebral cortex, cells undergo sustained activation of discharge while the animal retains information for a subsequent action. Recent work has revealed the presence of such ″memory cells″ in the anterior parietal cortex (Brodmann′s areas 3a, 3b, 1, and 2) – the early stage of the cortical somatosensory system. Here we inferred that, in a cross-modal visuo-haptic short-term memory task, somatosensory cells would react to visual stimuli associated with tactile features. Single-unit discharge was recorded from the anterior parietal cortex – including areas of hand representation – of monkeys performing a visuo-haptic delayed matching-to-sample task. Units changed firing frequency during the presentation of a visual cue that the animal had to remember for making a correct tactile choice between two objects at the end of a delay (retention period). Some units showed sustained activation during the delay. In some of them that activation differed depending on the cue. These findings suggest that units in somatosensory cortex react to visual stimuli behaviorally associated with tactile information. Further, the results suggest that some of these neurons are involved in short-term active memory and may, therefore, be part of cross-modal memory networks. Received: 24 March 1997 / Accepted: 8 May 1997     

mGluR5 knockout mice display increased dendritic spine densities

Alterations in dendritic spine densities and morphologies have been correlated with the abnormal functioning of the synapse. Specifically the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) has been implicated in dendrogenesis and spineogenesis, since its activation triggers various signaling cascades that have been demonstrated to play roles in synaptic maturation and plasticity. Here we used the Golgi impregnation technique to analyze the dendritic spines of mGluR5(-/-) knockout mice in comparison to their heterozygote mGluR5(+/-) littermates. mGluR5(-/-) mice had elevated spine densities irrespective of spine type or location along their dendritic trees in comparison to mGluR5(+/-) animals. Such anatomical changes may underlie the hyperexcitability observed in mGluR5 total knockout mice.     

Compensatory motor function of the somatosensory cortex for the motor cortex temporarily impaired by cooling in the monkey

Summary The motor cortex was temporarily impaired by local cooling during repeated execution of visually initiated hand movements in monkeys. The effects of cooling were examined by recording premovement cortical field potentials in the forelimb motor and somatosensory cortices and by measuring reaction time and force exerted by the movement. The cortex was cooled by perfusing cold water (about 1° C) through a metal chamber placed on the cortical epidural surface. Cooling of the forelimb motor area lowered temperature of the cortex under the chamber to 20–29° C within 4–5 min. Recording electrodes for cortical field potentials were implanted chronically on the surface and at 2.5–3.0 mm depth of various cortical areas including that being cooled. Spread of cooling to surrounding cortical areas was prevented by placing chambers perfused with warm water (38–39° C) on the areas.Cooling of the forelimb motor area greatly reduced its premovement cortical field potentials, followed by prolonged reaction times of weakened contralateral wrist muscles. Simultaneous recording from the primary somatosensory cortex revealed an enhancement of its premovement field potentials. All changes were completely reversible by rewarming of the motor cortex. Concomitant cooling of the motor and somatosensory cortices entirely paralysed the contralateral wrist muscles. These results suggest that the motor function of the somatosensory cortex becomes predominant and compensates for dysfunction of the motor cortex when it is temporarily impaired.Supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan     

Late postnatal changes in rat somatosensory cortex

Summary Temporal and spatial developmental relationships between AChE and GABA-T reactivity in the sensory-motor cortex of rat were evaluated histochemically. Special attention was given to the barrels in layer IV of SmI that stain intensely for both enzymes. In the first and second postnatal weeks very low levels of diffuse GABA-T reactivity are seen in cortex, although cells and neuropil in the neostriatum are already clearly positive neonatally. There is little change until 16–18 days postnatal (dpn), when a steady increase in overall cortical reactivity for GABA-T has begun. In layer IV of SmI cortex, relatively intense foci of GABA-T staining begin to appear then, that overlap the barrel centers. GABA-T reactive non-pyramidal neurons at the periphery of these stained foci have distinctly stained processes that may enter the barrel centers. The intensity of GABA-T staining increases until 28 dpn when adult levels were reached. In contrast, AChE staining in cortex begins to appear at 2–3 dpn with prominent barrel staining seen by 6 dpn. When adult AChE reactivity levels are being achieved throughout all regions of neocortex, between 16–19 dpn, the barrel centers progressively lose demonstrable AChE-staining of their fiber plexus. Hence, the onset of GABA-T staining in the barrels during the third week postnatally coincides with the initiation of the progressive reduction in intensity of AChE staining in the same cortical zones. These observations on GABA-T correlate well with biochemical information on the time course of the maturation of the cortical GABAergic system. We should, therefore, consider the possibility that GABA-T staining may reflect the development of the GABAergic system in neocortex cerebri. The temporal linkage between AChE and GABA-T staining, raises the question of a possible developmental interaction between the non-cholinergic AChE-rich thalamic inputs to somatosensory cortex and the maturation of other more tardily developing components of the barrels in SmI. If the temporal relationship is only coincidental then the data still suggest that an intricate series of sequentially timed events characterize the ontogenesis of neocortical circuitry with relatively major developmental events occurring late in the postnatal period.     

Reproducibility and stability of neuromagnetic source imaging in primary somatosensory cortex

The present study investigated the test-retest reliability of magnetoencephalography (MEG) source localization of somatosensory evoked fields (SEFs) over an extended time period. Five healthy subjects were stimulated pneumatically at the first and fifth digit in two sessions spaced several months apart. At each location 400 stimuli were presented. The validation of the results was performed by overlay of the dipole localizations into the individual anatomic structure of the subjects' cortex by the use of magnetic resonance images (MRIs). The source localizations of the SEF component were found to be highly reproducible. The mean standard deviation of the dipole locations of the first digit was 1.55 mm in the x-, 1.55 mm in the y- and 3.49 mm in the z-direction. The mean standard deviation of the fifth digit was 3.69 mm in the x-, 4.27 mm in the y- and 6.60 mm in the z-direction. These results support the use of MEG recordings combined with MRI as an adequate method to define the organization of the human primary somatosensory cortex and provide a useful approach to the rapid detection of neuroplasticity.     

Age and serial ablations of somatosensory cortex in the rat

The present study investigated the effects of one-stage and two-stage ablations of somatosensory cortex at 30 days, 270 days and 570 days of age on the acquisition of tactile discriminations in rats. Deficits in the ability to acquire tactile discriminations following such cortical lesions appeared to be similar regardless of the age at which the damage was sustained. Serial placement of the lesions did not attenuate the deficits in 30-day or 570-day-old rats. Some mitigation of the impairment was present in animals sustaining serial surgery at 270 days of age. In contrast, rats sustaining one-stage lesions at 570 days of age performed somewhat better than their age-mates sustaining two-stage lesions. Factors possibly relevant to the serial lesion effect and to recovery of function in general are suggested.     

Evoked potential latency change with age suggests differential aging of primary somatosensory cortex

The latencies of the first two cortical peaks in the somatosensory evoked potential were examined in subjects of various ages. Recent work on specialization of primary sensory cortex in primates implicates the cortical site of origin of the second cortical peak, P25, in the selective sensory losses of old age. The latency of the P25 peak changed significantly with age. The latency of the preceeding N20 peak, also of cortical origin but originating site, showed no significant age-related change. Sex differences were present in both N20 and P25 latencies but were independent of the age effect in the latter. Our results provide electrophysiological evidence for differential aging of anatomically separate areas of somatosensory cortex.     

Compensatory motor function of the somatosensory cortex for dysfunction of the motor cortex following cerebellar hemispherectomy in the monkey

Summary Electrical activities of the motor and somatosensory cortices preceding visually-initiated hand movements were recorded with electrodes chronically implanted on the surface and at 2.5–3.0 mm depth in the cortex of monkeys, and changes in field potentials in these cortices after cerebellar hemispherectomy were observed for many weeks. As previously reported, a unilateral cerebellar hemispherectomy including the lateral and interpositus nuclei eliminates the cerebellar-mediated superficial thalamo-cortical (T-C) responses recorded in the forelimb motor cortex contralateral to the hemispherectomy. These T-C responses normally precede the hand movement, and the operation results in the delay of movement initiation. The electrodes in the forelimb area of the contralateral primary somatosensory cortex showed an enhancement of superficial T-C responses of the somatosensory cortex for 30–40 days after the operation. The enhanced potentials preceded the delayed movement as do the cerebellar-mediated superficial T-C responses of the motor cortex in normal situations. Local cooling of the somatosensory cortex following the cerebellar hemispherectomy disturbed the reaction time movement for a few weeks after the operation. This effect was rarely encountered in normal monkeys. The present study suggests the compensatory motor function of the somatosensory cortex for the dysfunction of the motor cortex in early weeks after cerebellar hemispherectomy.Supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan     

The role of the primary somatosensory cortex in an auditorily paced finger tapping task

It has been suggested that a simple auditorily paced finger tapping task is associated with three tap-related neuromagnetic sources in the primary sensorimotor cortex contralateral to the tapping hand. Since a first source peaking at ~100 ms before tap-onset most likely represents activation of the primary motor cortex (M1) due to the motor command, a second source localized in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) peaking around tap-onset could be due to kinesthetic feedback of the finger movement. A third source peaking at ~100 ms after tap-onset is also localized in the primary somatosensory cortex but inferior to the first S1 source (S1 inferior). The functional meaning of this source is still under debate. On the one hand it has been argued that S1 inferior represents the neuromagnetic correlate of tactile-kinesthetic feedback due to finger-taps and movements. On the other hand the functional meaning of this source could go beyond the sole processing of somatosensory feedback monitoring the temporal distance between tap and pacer (click) to keep the subject in time with the external event. This hypothesis is based on the observation that (1) S1 inferior seems to be coupled equally well to tap and click and (2) that this source might be triggered by the last event (i.e. tap or click). In the present study we re-examined this hypothesis by using a 122-channel whole-head neuromagnetometer. Eight healthy subjects synchronized their right index finger taps to an auditory pacing signal presented with a constant interstimulus interval of 800 ms. To test the hypothesis that the last event triggers S1 inferior we compared neuromagnetic activity following the tap as the first and the last event. In the auditorily paced finger tapping task usually the tap leads over the click (negative asynchrony). Therefore, the tap usually occurs as the first event. Since it has been shown that delivering additional feedback at the time of tap-onset results in a reduced negative asynchrony, in a second run auditory feedback was presented at tap-onset to enhance the number of positive asynchronies (i.e. the tap is the last event). Since no latency differences of S1 inferior associated with positive and negative asynchronies were found, results from the present study do not support the assumption that S1 inferior is triggered by the last event. Moreover, the amplitude of S1 inferior is significantly reduced following positive asynchronies as compared to negative asynchronies. Additionally, tap duration (i.e. the time between tap-onset and tap-offset) is significantly reduced while subjects produce positive asynchronies. Therefore, the amplitude of S1 inferior seems to be modulated by movement kinematics. This observation agrees well with the idea that activation of S1 is solely associated with the processing of somatosensory information. To conclude, our data contradict the hypothesis of an evaluation process localized in the primary somatosensory cortex and substantiate the idea that S1 inferior exclusively represents the processing of somatosensory feedback information.     

Projections from the primary somatosensory cortex to basal ganglia and thalamus in the monkey

Summary Radioactive amino acids were injected into the postcentral cortex (areas 3, 1 and 2) in 6 monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). Fibers were traced to the ipsilateral putamen, to Olszewski's n. ventralis posterior lateralis pars caudalis, n. ventralis posterior medialis and inferior, to n. pulvinaris oralis, n. suprageniculatus and corpus geniculatum mediale pars magnocellularis. Furthermore, there were faint postcentral projections to claustrum, n. caudatus, n. centralis lateralis, n. centrum medianum, zona incerta and with respect to the postcentral face region to n.medialis dorsalis pars multiformis.Discrepancies with earlier findings were discussed and comparison was made between pre- and postcentral target regions.Abbreviations Cd n. caudatus - ci capsula interna - CL n. centralis lateralis - Cl claustrum - CM n. centrum medianum - GL corpus geniculatum laterale - GM corpus geniculatum mediale - GMpc corpus geniculatum mediale pars parvocellularis - GMmc corpus geniculatum mediale pars magnocellularis - GP globus pallidus - la sulcus lateralis - LP n. lateralis posterior - MD n. medialis dorsalis - OI opercular-insular cortex - Pen n. paracentralis - Pf n. parafascicularis - PI n. pulvinaris inferior - PO n. pulvinaris oralis - Pu putamen - RT n. reticularis thalami - SG n. suprageniculatus - SN substantia nigra - St n. subthalamicus - thi tractus habenulo-interpeduncularis - tmt tractus mammillo-thalamicus - to tractus opticus - VA n. ventralis anterior - VLc n. ventralis lateralis, p. caudalis - VLo n. ventralis lateralis, p. oralis - VPI n. ventralis posterior inferior - VPL n. ventralis posterior lateralis - VPLc n. ventralis posterior lateralis p. caudalis - VPLo n. ventralis posterior lateralis p. oralis - VPM n. ventralis posterior medialis - ZI zona incerta     

Somatotopic organization of the human somatosensory cortex revealed by neuromagnetic measurements

Summary The primary projection areas in the human somatosensory cortex activated by electrical stimulation of the digits of the hand and the ankle were localized by measuring the magnetic field outside the head contralateral to the side of stimulation. Most of the spatial variation in the amplitude of the field component normal to the scalp could be accounted for by representing each source as a single current dipole in a spherical conducting medium with solely concentric variations in electrical conductivity, although the fit of this model to the data showed some statistically significant deviations. Based on the best-fitting parameter values of the model, we found that the projection areas of the thumb, the index finger, the little finger and the ankle were located at successively more medial positions along the primary somatosensory cortex, at an average depth of 2.2 cm from the scalp surface.This research was supported in part by ONR grant N00014-76-C-0568The preliminary results from the present study were reported at the Sixth Conference on Slow Potentials in the Human Brain held in 1981 (Kaufman et al. 1984) and at the Fourth Workshop on Biomagnetism held in 1982 (Okada 1983)     

Neuromagnetic investigation of somatotopy of human hand somatosensory cortex

Summary In order to investigate functional topography of human hand somatosensory cortex we recorded somatosensory evoked fields (SEFs) on MEG during the first 40 ms after stimulation of median nerve, ulnar nerve, and the 5 digits. We applied dipole modeling to determine the three-dimensional cortial representations of different peripheral receptive fields. Median nerve and ulnar nerve SEFs exhibited the previously described N20 and P30 components with a magnetic field pattern emerging from the head superior and re-entering the head inferior for the N20 component; the magnetic field pattern of the P30 component was of reversed orientation. Reversals of field direction were oriented along the anterior-posterior axis. SEFs during digit stimulation showed analogous N22 and P32 components and similar magnetic field patterns. Reversals of field direction showed a shift from lateral inferior to medial superior for thumb to little finger. Dipole modeling yielded good fits at these peak latencies accounting for an average of 83% of the data variance. The cortical digit representations were arranged in an orderly somatotopic way from lateral inferior to medial superior in the sequence thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger. Median nerve cortical representation was lateral inferior to that of ulnar nerve. Isofield maps and dipole locations for these components are consistent with neuronal activity in the posterior bank of central fissure corresponding to area 3b. We conclude that SEFs recorded on MEG in conjunction with source localization techniques are useful to investigate functional topography of human hand somatosensory cortex non-invasively.     

The role of the left somatosensory cortex in human hand movement

Hemispheric dominance for motor control in the human brain is still unclear. Here we propose asymmetric sensorimotor integration during human hand movements. We investigated the dexterity of hand movements and related sensory functions in four right-handed patients with cerebrovascular lesions in the postcentral gyrus. To clarify the distributions of cortical damage, semiquantitative analysis of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was performed using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and a three-dimensional surface display was generated from SPECT. Scores on motor and sensory tasks and rCBF values in the patients were compared with those in control subjects. All patients presented with asymmetric clumsiness of complex finger movements, in association with impairments of combined sensations such as stereognosis. These findings were indicative of a disorder of sensory information processing necessary to guide the movements. Two patients with left hemispheric damage showed bilateral clumsy hands, predominating on the right side, while the other two patients with right hemispheric damage showed only a left clumsy hand. In agreement with asymmetric clumsiness, measurement of rCBF along with a three-dimensional surface display revealed cortical hypoperfused areas, mainly in the perirolandic cortices, comprising the primary motor and somatosensory cortices. Perirolandic cortical hypoperfusion was bilateral in the two patients with bilateral clumsy hands, but only on the right side in the other two patients with left clumsy hands. These results suggest a dominant role of the left somatosensory cortex in sensorimotor integration for complex finger movements of humans.