The spinothalamic system targets motor and sensory areas in the cerebral cortex of monkeys. 2009

Richard P Dum, and David J Levinthal, and Peter L Strick
Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Systems Neuroscience Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA.

Classically, the spinothalamic (ST) system has been viewed as the major pathway for transmitting nociceptive and thermoceptive information to the cerebral cortex. There is a long-standing controversy about the cortical targets of this system. We used anterograde transneuronal transport of the H129 strain of herpes simplex virus type 1 in the Cebus monkey to label the cortical areas that receive ST input. We found that the ST system reaches multiple cortical areas located in the contralateral hemisphere. The major targets are granular insular cortex, secondary somatosensory cortex and several cortical areas in the cingulate sulcus. It is noteworthy that comparable cortical regions in humans consistently display activation when subjects are acutely exposed to painful stimuli. We next combined anterograde transneuronal transport of virus with injections of a conventional tracer into the ventral premotor area (PMv). We used the PMv injection to identify the cingulate motor areas on the medial wall of the hemisphere. This combined approach demonstrated that each of the cingulate motor areas receives ST input. Our meta-analysis of imaging studies indicates that the human equivalents of the three cingulate motor areas also correspond to sites of pain-related activation. The cingulate motor areas in the monkey project directly to the primary motor cortex and to the spinal cord. Thus, the substrate exists for the ST system to have an important influence on the cortical control of movement.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D009043 Motor Activity Body movements of a human or an animal as a behavioral phenomenon. Activities, Motor,Activity, Motor,Motor Activities
D010146 Pain An unpleasant sensation induced by noxious stimuli which are detected by NERVE ENDINGS of NOCICEPTIVE NEURONS. Suffering, Physical,Ache,Pain, Burning,Pain, Crushing,Pain, Migratory,Pain, Radiating,Pain, Splitting,Aches,Burning Pain,Burning Pains,Crushing Pain,Crushing Pains,Migratory Pain,Migratory Pains,Pains, Burning,Pains, Crushing,Pains, Migratory,Pains, Radiating,Pains, Splitting,Physical Suffering,Physical Sufferings,Radiating Pain,Radiating Pains,Splitting Pain,Splitting Pains,Sufferings, Physical
D010465 Perception The process by which the nature and meaning of sensory stimuli are recognized and interpreted. Sensory Processing,Processing, Sensory
D002428 Cebus A genus of the family CEBIDAE, subfamily CEBINAE, consisting of gracile or untufted capuchin species. Tufted capuchins belong to genus SAPAJUS. Members include C. capucinus, C. nigrivultatus, and C. albifrons. Cebus inhabits the forests of Central and South Americas. Cebu,Gracile Capuchins,Monkey, Capuchin,Monkey, Ring-Tail,Monkey, Ringtail,Monkey, Ringtailed,Untufted Capuchins,White-Fronted Capuchin,Monkey, Ring-Tailed,Capuchin Monkey,Capuchin Monkeys,Capuchin, Gracile,Capuchin, Untufted,Capuchin, White-Fronted,Gracile Capuchin,Monkey, Ring Tail,Monkey, Ring Tailed,Ring-Tail Monkey,Ring-Tail Monkeys,Ring-Tailed Monkey,Ring-Tailed Monkeys,Ringtail Monkey,Ringtail Monkeys,Ringtailed Monkey,Ringtailed Monkeys,Untufted Capuchin,White Fronted Capuchin,White-Fronted Capuchins
D002540 Cerebral Cortex The thin layer of GRAY MATTER on the surface of the CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES that develops from the TELENCEPHALON and folds into gyri and sulci. It reaches its highest development in humans and is responsible for intellectual faculties and higher mental functions. Allocortex,Archipallium,Cortex Cerebri,Cortical Plate,Paleocortex,Periallocortex,Allocortices,Archipalliums,Cerebral Cortices,Cortex Cerebrus,Cortex, Cerebral,Cortical Plates,Paleocortices,Periallocortices,Plate, Cortical
D005260 Female Females
D006179 Gyrus Cinguli One of the convolutions on the medial surface of the CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES. It surrounds the rostral part of the brain and CORPUS CALLOSUM and forms part of the LIMBIC SYSTEM. Anterior Cingulate Gyrus,Brodmann Area 23,Brodmann Area 24,Brodmann Area 26,Brodmann Area 29,Brodmann Area 30,Brodmann Area 31,Brodmann Area 32,Brodmann Area 33,Brodmann's Area 23,Brodmann's Area 24,Brodmann's Area 26,Brodmann's Area 29,Brodmann's Area 30,Brodmann's Area 31,Brodmann's Area 32,Brodmann's Area 33,Cingulate Gyrus,Gyrus Cinguli Anterior,Retrosplenial Complex,Retrosplenial Cortex,Anterior Cingulate,Anterior Cingulate Cortex,Cingular Gyrus,Cingulate Area,Cingulate Body,Cingulate Cortex,Cingulate Region,Gyrus, Cingulate,Posterior Cingulate,Posterior Cingulate Cortex,Posterior Cingulate Gyri,Posterior Cingulate Gyrus,Posterior Cingulate Region,Superior Mesial Regions,24, Brodmann Area,Anterior Cingulate Cortices,Anterior Cingulates,Anterior, Gyrus Cinguli,Anteriors, Gyrus Cinguli,Area 23, Brodmann,Area 23, Brodmann's,Area 24, Brodmann,Area 24, Brodmann's,Area 26, Brodmann,Area 26, Brodmann's,Area 29, Brodmann,Area 29, Brodmann's,Area 30, Brodmann,Area 30, Brodmann's,Area 31, Brodmann,Area 31, Brodmann's,Area 32, Brodmann,Area 32, Brodmann's,Area 33, Brodmann,Area 33, Brodmann's,Area, Cingulate,Body, Cingulate,Brodmanns Area 23,Brodmanns Area 24,Brodmanns Area 26,Brodmanns Area 29,Brodmanns Area 30,Brodmanns Area 31,Brodmanns Area 32,Brodmanns Area 33,Cingulate Areas,Cingulate Bodies,Cingulate Cortex, Anterior,Cingulate Cortex, Posterior,Cingulate Gyrus, Anterior,Cingulate Gyrus, Posterior,Cingulate Region, Posterior,Cingulate Regions,Cingulate, Anterior,Cingulate, Posterior,Cinguli Anterior, Gyrus,Cinguli Anteriors, Gyrus,Complex, Retrosplenial,Cortex, Anterior Cingulate,Cortex, Cingulate,Cortex, Posterior Cingulate,Cortex, Retrosplenial,Gyrus Cinguli Anteriors,Gyrus, Anterior Cingulate,Gyrus, Cingular,Gyrus, Posterior Cingulate,Posterior Cingulate Cortices,Posterior Cingulate Regions,Posterior Cingulates,Region, Cingulate,Region, Posterior Cingulate,Retrosplenial Complices,Retrosplenial Cortices,Superior Mesial Region
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia

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