Detection thresholds to stimulation of ventrobasal complex in cats. 1980

J E Swett, and C M Bourassa

Cats were trained to indicate, by bar pressing for food rewards, their detection of stimulation of the ventrobasal (VB) complex delivered through implanted bipolar electrodes. By varying stimulus intensity it was possible to determine thresholds for detection. Scaling stimulus intensity relative to the appearance of a minimal evoked potential allowed comparisons between animals and also comparisons with results obtained by stimulation of peripheral nerve. Animals could detect VB stimulation, but only at stimulus intensities consistently stronger than those required for minimal appearance of an evoked response in ipsilateral primary somatosensory cortex. Results of VB activation differed from cutaneous nerve effects in that VB detection thresholds were markedly influenced by stimulus frequency. They were lowest at frequencies above 30 Hz and increased greatly at lower frequencies. Discomfort or pain did not seem to result even from relatively high stimulus intensities. The results compare well with observations obtained from stimulation of VB in humans. The appearance of an evoked cortical response is not necessarily correlated with behavior. Under appropriate conditions, behavior can be elicited predictably with minimal electrocortical activity; under other conditions detection may be absent even when large numbers of cortical neurons are activated. We suggest that regions of the cerebral cortex receiving thalamocortical projections from VB may not be essential in the detection process.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008465 Mechanoreceptors Cells specialized to transduce mechanical stimuli and relay that information centrally in the nervous system. Mechanoreceptor cells include the INNER EAR hair cells, which mediate hearing and balance, and the various somatosensory receptors, often with non-neural accessory structures. Golgi Tendon Organ,Golgi Tendon Organs,Krause's End Bulb,Krause's End Bulbs,Mechanoreceptor,Mechanoreceptor Cell,Meissner's Corpuscle,Neurotendinous Spindle,Neurotendinous Spindles,Receptors, Stretch,Ruffini's Corpuscle,Ruffini's Corpuscles,Stretch Receptor,Stretch Receptors,Mechanoreceptor Cells,Bulb, Krause's End,Bulbs, Krause's End,Cell, Mechanoreceptor,Cells, Mechanoreceptor,Corpuscle, Meissner's,Corpuscle, Ruffini's,Corpuscles, Ruffini's,End Bulb, Krause's,End Bulbs, Krause's,Krause End Bulb,Krause End Bulbs,Krauses End Bulb,Krauses End Bulbs,Meissner Corpuscle,Meissners Corpuscle,Organ, Golgi Tendon,Organs, Golgi Tendon,Receptor, Stretch,Ruffini Corpuscle,Ruffini Corpuscles,Ruffinis Corpuscle,Ruffinis Corpuscles,Spindle, Neurotendinous,Spindles, Neurotendinous,Tendon Organ, Golgi,Tendon Organs, Golgi
D002415 Cats The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801) Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
D003216 Conditioning, Operant Learning situations in which the sequence responses of the subject are instrumental in producing reinforcement. When the correct response occurs, which involves the selection from among a repertoire of responses, the subject is immediately reinforced. Instrumental Learning,Learning, Instrumental,Operant Conditioning,Conditionings, Operant,Instrumental Learnings,Learnings, Instrumental,Operant Conditionings
D003463 Cues Signals for an action; that specific portion of a perceptual field or pattern of stimuli to which a subject has learned to respond. Cue
D004558 Electric Stimulation Use of electric potential or currents to elicit biological responses. Stimulation, Electric,Electrical Stimulation,Electric Stimulations,Electrical Stimulations,Stimulation, Electrical,Stimulations, Electric,Stimulations, Electrical
D005071 Evoked Potentials Electrical responses recorded from nerve, muscle, SENSORY RECEPTOR, or area of the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM following stimulation. They range from less than a microvolt to several microvolts. The evoked potential can be auditory (EVOKED POTENTIALS, AUDITORY), somatosensory (EVOKED POTENTIALS, SOMATOSENSORY), visual (EVOKED POTENTIALS, VISUAL), or motor (EVOKED POTENTIALS, MOTOR), or other modalities that have been reported. Event Related Potential,Event-Related Potentials,Evoked Potential,N100 Evoked Potential,P50 Evoked Potential,N1 Wave,N100 Evoked Potentials,N2 Wave,N200 Evoked Potentials,N3 Wave,N300 Evoked Potentials,N4 Wave,N400 Evoked Potentials,P2 Wave,P200 Evoked Potentials,P50 Evoked Potentials,P50 Wave,P600 Evoked Potentials,Potentials, Event-Related,Event Related Potentials,Event-Related Potential,Evoked Potential, N100,Evoked Potential, N200,Evoked Potential, N300,Evoked Potential, N400,Evoked Potential, P200,Evoked Potential, P50,Evoked Potential, P600,Evoked Potentials, N100,Evoked Potentials, N200,Evoked Potentials, N300,Evoked Potentials, N400,Evoked Potentials, P200,Evoked Potentials, P50,Evoked Potentials, P600,N1 Waves,N2 Waves,N200 Evoked Potential,N3 Waves,N300 Evoked Potential,N4 Waves,N400 Evoked Potential,P2 Waves,P200 Evoked Potential,P50 Waves,P600 Evoked Potential,Potential, Event Related,Potential, Event-Related,Potential, Evoked,Potentials, Event Related,Potentials, Evoked,Potentials, N400 Evoked,Related Potential, Event,Related Potentials, Event,Wave, N1,Wave, N2,Wave, N3,Wave, N4,Wave, P2,Wave, P50,Waves, N1,Waves, N2,Waves, N3,Waves, N4,Waves, P2,Waves, P50
D000344 Afferent Pathways Nerve structures through which impulses are conducted from a peripheral part toward a nerve center. Afferent Pathway,Pathway, Afferent,Pathways, Afferent
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
D012867 Skin The outer covering of the body that protects it from the environment. It is composed of the DERMIS and the EPIDERMIS.
D013003 Somatosensory Cortex Area of the parietal lobe concerned with receiving sensations such as movement, pain, pressure, position, temperature, touch, and vibration. It lies posterior to the central sulcus. Brodmann Area 1,Brodmann Area 2,Brodmann Area 3,Brodmann Areas 1, 2, 3,Brodmann Areas 1, 2, and 3,Brodmann Areas 3, 1, 2,Brodmann Areas 3, 1, and 2,Brodmann's Area 1,Brodmann's Area 2,Brodmann's Area 3,Brodmann's Areas 1, 2, and 3,Brodmann's Areas 3, 1, and 2,Parietal-Opercular Cortex,Primary Somesthetic Area,S1 Cortex,S2 Cortex,SII Cortex,Anterior Parietal Cortex,Gyrus Postcentralis,Post Central Gyrus,Postcentral Gyrus,Primary Somatic Sensory Area,Primary Somatosensory Area,Primary Somatosensory Areas,Primary Somatosensory Cortex,SI Cortex,Second Somatic Sensory Area,Secondary Sensory Cortex,Secondary Somatosensory Area,Secondary Somatosensory Cortex,Area 1, Brodmann,Area 1, Brodmann's,Area 2, Brodmann,Area 2, Brodmann's,Area 3, Brodmann,Area 3, Brodmann's,Area, Primary Somatosensory,Area, Primary Somesthetic,Area, Secondary Somatosensory,Areas, Primary Somatosensory,Brodmanns Area 1,Brodmanns Area 2,Brodmanns Area 3,Cortex, Anterior Parietal,Cortex, Parietal-Opercular,Cortex, Primary Somatosensory,Cortex, S1,Cortex, S2,Cortex, SI,Cortex, SII,Cortex, Secondary Sensory,Cortex, Secondary Somatosensory,Cortex, Somatosensory,Gyrus, Post Central,Gyrus, Postcentral,Parietal Cortex, Anterior,Parietal Opercular Cortex,Parietal-Opercular Cortices,Primary Somatosensory Cortices,Primary Somesthetic Areas,S1 Cortices,S2 Cortices,SII Cortices,Secondary Somatosensory Areas,Sensory Cortex, Secondary,Somatosensory Area, Primary,Somatosensory Area, Secondary,Somatosensory Areas, Primary,Somatosensory Cortex, Primary,Somatosensory Cortex, Secondary,Somesthetic Area, Primary,Somesthetic Areas, Primary

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