Tactile stimulation and its impact on barrel cortex neuron receptive fields in whisker-deprived male rats

Understanding the enhancement of neuronal performance through the interaction of various sensory stimuli and evaluating how these interactions influence neuronal responses and sensorimotor behaviors is critical. This study investigates the simultaneous effects of tactile stimulation (TS) and sensory deprivation of whiskers on the receptive field properties of barrel cortex neurons in Wistar rats. Male rats were subjected to whisker deprivation (WD) or TS for 21 days from birth. Neuronal responses to controlled deflections of principal and adjacent whiskers were assessed using single-unit recordings from the barrel cortex. Results indicated that while WD reduced the excitatory receptive fields of neurons, the magnitude of ON and OFF responses returned to control group levels following TS, suggesting improved neuronal function. These findings demonstrate that tactile stimulation can compensate for deficits caused by sensory deprivation.