DISTRIBUTION OF NEURONS RESPONDING TO SENSORY STIMULI AND ORGANIZATION OF TOPIC PROJECTIONS IN THE CAT CAUDATE-NUCLEUS

The distribution of neurons responding to presentation of different sensory stimuli was investigated during chronic experiments on cats. These showed that cells responding to somatic and visual stimulation were unevenly distributed and that areas with differing levels of activity within the same nucleus alternated. No single topic projection was identified within the structure reaching the entire nucleus. The findings were compared with those found during morphological research indicating heterogeneity in caudate nucleus structure, implying the existence of neuronal groupings (or striosomes) belonging to a topically organized projection from the animal's body. © 1990 Plenum Publishing Corporation.