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Published on: January 2, 2012
Formation of cortical fields on a reduced cortical sheet
K J Huffman1, Z Molnár, A Van Dellen
1Center for Neuroscience and Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616, USA.
Summary
Altering early neocortex size in marsupials maintained cortical field organization despite changes in thalamocortical projections. This suggests early developmental plasticity influences mammalian brain evolution.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Thalamocortical projections are crucial for cortical field differentiation.
- Mammalian neocortical evolution involves significant changes in cortical size.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how altering immature neocortex size affects adult neocortical development and organization.
- To understand the role of early cortical plasticity in response to size changes.
Main Methods:
- Unilateral removal of one-third to three-fourths of the cortical neuroepithelial sheet in early-stage marsupials.
- Neuroanatomical tracer injections into the reduced cortex to map thalamocortical projections.
Main Results:
- Normal spatial relationships of visual, somatosensory, and auditory cortical fields were maintained on the reduced cortex.
- Thalamocortical axon distribution was altered but maintained original anteroposterior patterns.
- Demonstrated the cortical neuroepithelium's capacity to accommodate different cortical fields early on.
Conclusions:
- Early neocortical development exhibits plasticity in accommodating cortical fields.
- Anteroposterior and mediolateral relationships between cortical fields appear invariant.
- Early shifts in afferents/efferents due to cortical size changes may explain mammalian brain variation.
