Rapid dynamic changes in adult cerebral cortex

doi:10.1016/0959-4388(93)90042-W

Current Opinion in Neurobiology

Volume 3, Issue 1, February 1993, Pages 100-103

https://doi.org/10.1016/0959-4388(93)90042-W Get rights and content

Abstract

While the plasticity of cortical connections has long been known to be a property of developing cortex, a new view of cortical function reveals a substantial degree of mutability of receptive field properties and cortical topography. The most recent studies show that the dynamic properties of cortex can be observed over a time scale of minutes.

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Cited by (39)

Tactile stimulation interventions: Influence of stimulation parameters on sensorimotor behavior and neurophysiological correlates in healthy and clinical samples
2015, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
Citation Excerpt :
Thus, an increase in effect strength (see above) might also increase the duration. Indeed, a relationship between the spatial degree of reorganization and the persistence of induced effects was previously shown in animal studies (Gilbert, 1993). Yet, strength and duration are not always related (Dinse et al., 2003b; Godde et al., 2000).
The pure exposure to extensive tactile stimulation, without the requirement of attention or active training, has been revealed to enhance sensorimotor functioning presumably due to an induction of plasticity in the somatosensory cortex. The induced effects, including increased tactile acuity and manual dexterity have repeatedly been observed in basic as well as clinical research. However, results vary greatly in respect to the strength and direction of the effects on the behavioral and on the brain level. Multiple evidences show that differences in the stimulation protocols (e.g., two vs. multiple stimulation sites) and parameters (e.g., duration, frequency, and amplitude) might contribute to this variability of effects. Nevertheless, stimulation protocols have not been comprehensively compared yet. Identifying favorable parameters for tactile stimulation interventions is especially important because of its possible application as a treatment option for patients suffering from sensory loss, maladaptive plasticity, or certain forms of motor impairment. This review aims to compare the effects of different tactile stimulation protocols and to assess possible implications for tactile interventions. Our goal is to identify ways of optimizing stimulation protocols to improve sensorimotor performance. To this end, we reviewed research on tactile stimulation in the healthy population, with a focus on the effectiveness of the applied parameters regarding psychophysiological measures. We discuss the association of stimulation-induced changes on the behavioral level with alterations in neural representations and response characteristics.
Sparseness of coding in area 17 of the cat visual cortex: A comparison between pinwheel centres and orientation domains
2012, Neuroscience
Citation Excerpt :
Orientation-tuning properties in the visual cortex are relatively stable throughout life (for review see Chiu and Weliky, 2003), but the adaptability and plasticity around pinwheel centres may be maintained throughout life. This means that the various demonstrations of adult cortical plasticity, shown to happen in electrophysiological studies of the cat striate cortex (Gilbert, 1993; Müller et al., 1999) or strongly suspected to be happening at the level of the primary visual cortex in macaque behavioural (Pigarev et al., 2001) and human psychophysical (Ramachandran and Braddick, 1973; Kapadia et al., 1994) studies may all be occurring largely around pinwheel centres. Finally, the question remains why there is heterogeneity across the striate cortical surface with regard to the functional architecture of the orientation columns?
Optical imaging of intrinsic signals across the primary visual cortex in mammals has shown that neurons tuned to the same stimulus orientation are clustered together to form orientation domains, which converge on singularities called pinwheel centres. We used a combination of two gratings in different mutual relationships as in a plaid to study how visual cortical neurons differ in integrating these signals. Neurons in the centres of orientation domains responded to a smaller range of such composite stimuli than cells near pinwheel centres, even though orientation tuning for a single bar or grating did not differ significantly between the two locations. We believe that this difference between the two locations is related to the way local intracortical interactions generate a full complement of orientation preferences from a limited number of preferred stimulus orientations represented in the geniculate afferents to the striate cortex.
Visual perceptual learning induces long-term potentiation in the visual cortex
2011, Neuroscience
Citation Excerpt :
To date, synaptic plasticity of horizontal projections have been characterized in various cortical areas in the rat (e.g. Hess and Donoghue, 1994; Bilkey, 1996; Rioult-Pedotti et al., 1998; Yun et al., 2000). Within the visual cortex, reorganization of visual receptive fields in response to sensory perturbations is known to be mediated by horizontal connections (Gilbert, 1993), but a functional change of these connections in association with visual PL has never been reported. Here we show for the first time that LTP can be elicited by tetanus in layer II/III horizontal projections of V1 and that this long-lasting changes of synaptic strength is involved in visual PL.
Increasing evidence suggests that plastic changes underlying skill learning may occur at early stages of neural processing. However, whether visual perceptual learning (PL) is accompanied by neuronal plasticity phenomena in the primary visual cortex (V1) is yet unknown. Here, we provide the first evidence that practice with specific visual stimuli (gratings) induces long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic responses in the rat V1. We report that in rats which have improved through practice their ability to discriminate between two gratings of different spatial frequency, the input/output curves of field potentials evoked in layers II–III of V1 slices by stimulation of either vertical and horizontal connections are shifted leftward compared to controls. Thus, visual PL is followed by potentiation of synaptic transmission both in vertical and horizontal connections (mimicry). We next show that this increase in intracortical connectivity gain is paralleled by LTP-like phenomena caused by the learning process: indeed, visual PL occludes further LTP (occlusion). Mimicry and occlusion are not present in the primary somatosensory cortex of rats trained with PL. These results demonstrate that LTP accompanies PL and highlight the notion that learning can occur at processing stages as early as the primary sensory cortices.
Aspects of Piaget's cognitive developmental psychology and neurobiology of psychotic disorders - An integrative model
2008, Medical Hypotheses
Psychological, neurobiological and neurodevelopmental approaches have frequently been used to provide pathogenic concepts on psychotic disorders. However, aspects of cognitive developmental psychology have hardly been considered in current models. Using a hypothesis-generating approach an integration of these concepts was conducted. According to Piaget (1896–1980), assimilation and accommodation as forms of maintenance and modification of cognitive schemata represent fundamental processes of the brain. In general, based on the perceived input stimuli, cognitive schemata are developed resulting in a conception of the world, the realistic validity and the actuality of which is still being controlled and modified by cognitive adjustment processes. In psychotic disorders, however, a disproportion of environmental demands and the ability to activate required neuronal adaptation processes occurs. We therefore hypothesize a failure of the adjustment of real and requested output patterns. As a consequence autonomous cognitive schemata are generated, which fail to adjust with reality resulting in psychotic symptomatology. Neurobiological, especially neuromodulatory and neuroplastic processes play a central role in these perceptive and cognitive processes. In conclusion, integration of cognitive developmental psychology into the existing pathogenic concepts of psychotic disorders leads to interesting insights into basic disease mechanisms and also guides future research in the cognitive neuroscience of such disorders.
Contrast sensitivity in seasonal and nonseasonal depression
2006, Journal of Affective Disorders
Psychophysics has been used for the early diagnosis of many diseases that affect the visual pathway including those not usually considered vision-related (e.g., Parkinson's disease). Little has been done, however, to investigate visual functioning in psychological disorders known to be effectively treated by phototherapy. We measured the static and dynamic spatial contrast detection thresholds of seasonally depressed (SAD), nonseasonally depressed (Depressed) and nondepressed (Control) individuals.
Two psychophysical experiments which measured luminance contrast detection thresholds were conducted. Experiment 1 presented static, vertically oriented Gabors with center spatial frequencies ranging from 0.3 to 12.0 cpd (cycles per degree). Experiment 2 presented 0.5, 1.5 and 4.0 cpd Gabors whose phases were sinusoidally reversed at 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, 16.0, and 32.0 c/s (Hz).
SAD showed significantly greater contrast sensitivities than Controls for static spatial frequencies equal to or greater than 6.0 cpd. Depressed showed significantly greater contrast sensitivities at 6.0 cpd and 12.0 cpd. With phase modulation, the SAD group showed significantly enhanced contrast sensitivity with 4.0 cpd–2.0 Hz Gabors. All other results at lower spatial–higher temporal frequencies were not significant.
Most of the subjects were drawn from the student population instead of the community or clinics, even though they met the criteria for clinical depression. Antidepressant use was not controlled for among the subjects.
These findings suggest that clinical depression can enhance contrast sensitivity when stimuli elicit strong parvocellular responses. These enhancements implicate differences in retinal functionality. Mechanisms that link neuromodulatory activity to retinal signal processing are proposed.
Prolonged peripheral nerve stimulation induces persistent changes in excitability of human motor cortex
2003, Journal of the Neurological Sciences
This study sought to determine whether prolonged peripheral nerve stimulation was effective in inducing persistent “plastic” changes in the excitability of the human motor cortex. The amplitude of the electromyographic response evoked in resting intrinsic hand muscles by focal transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was taken as an index of motor cortical excitability. Twelve subjects were stimulated with each of three protocols, one of which was given on each of three separate occasions. The protocols consisted of various schedules of electrical stimulation of the radial and ulnar nerves or the motor point of the first dorsal interosseous muscle (FDI), or stimulation of FDI motor point paired with low-frequency TMS. Amplitudes of TMS-elicited motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were measured before peripheral stimulation and for 2 h after stimulation. The data from one subject were unusable. In every other subject, all three protocols induced a prolonged, significant facilitation of MEPs in at least some of the three intrinsic hand muscles used. In some instances, MEPs were not enlarged and occasionally were significantly depressed. Different protocols based on peripheral afferent stimulation can induce plastic changes in the organisation of the motor cortex that persist for at least 2 h.

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Rapid dynamic changes in adult cerebral cortex

Abstract

Science

J Neurophysiol

Science

Dynamic Organization of Primary Motor Cortex Output to Target Muscles in Adult Rats II. Rapid Reorganization Following Motor Nerve Lesions

Exp Brain Res

Acute Changes in Cutaneous Receptive Fields in Primary Somatosensory Cortex After Digit Denervation in Adult Flying Fox

J Neurophysiol

The Influence of Contextual Stimuli on the Orientation Selectivity of Cells in Primary Visual Cortex of the Cat

Vision Res

Recovery of Visual Responses in Foveal V1 Neurons Following Bilateral Foveal Lesions in Adult Monkey

Exp Brain Res

Receptive Field Dynamics in Adult Primary Visual Cortex

Nature

Rapid Reorganization of Cortical Maps in Adult Cats Following Restricted Deafferentation in Retina

Vision Res

Topographic Reorganization of the Hand Representation in Cortical Area 3b of Owl Monkeys Trained in a Frequency-Discrimination Task

J Neurophysiol

Mechanisms Underlying Somatosensory Cortical Dynamics: I. In Vivo Studies

Cerebr Cortex