Deciphering laminar-specific neural inputs with line-scanning fMRI

Using a line-scanning method during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we obtained high temporal (50-ms) and spatial (50-microm) resolution information along the cortical thickness and showed that the laminar position of fMRI onset coincides with distinct neural inputs in rat somatosensory and motor cortices. This laminar-specific fMRI onset allowed us to identify the neural inputs underlying ipsilateral fMRI activation in the barrel cortex due to peripheral denervation-induced plasticity.