Deficient influence of peripheral stimuli on precentral neurones in monkeys with dorsal column lesions.

Abstract

SUMMARY1. Four male monkeys (M. fascicularis) were trained in a movement performance task which involved pulling a horizontal lever into a target zone and then collecting, from one of a variety of positions, a small food reward. The same animals were also trained to sit quietly and accept passive manipulation and natural stimulation of the arm and hand while remaining relaxed.2. After complete bilateral section of the cuneate fasciculi or division of a major part of these dorsal column afferents at C1-C2 or at C5 level, the animals were still able to perform movement tasks normally. Disturbance of discrimination ability was revealed after vision was occluded if the animal was required to detect differences in texture with only a small cutaneous area in contact with the object (e.g. using only the tip of the index finger). Contactual-placing reactions could be performed in the absence of vision and the movements the animal made in these reactions were well controlled and appropriately directed. Minimal disturbance of contact placing was noticed if the surface touched was on the hand or fingers or if the reaction involved crossed placing.3. An examination of the natural discharges of 342 precentral neurones revealed that the patterns of activity exhibited in relation to complex movements were indistinguishable from patterns recorded in normal monkeys carrying out similar tasks.4. Discharges of ninety-one of 321 precentral neurones could be produced by appropriate natural stimuli delivered within the cell's afferent input zone at the periphery. The zone from which a given cell could be influenced was usually limited and its location could be on any part of the contralateral forelimb. However, all but nine of these responses were found in animals in which a small proportion of the cuneate fibres remained intact. In an animal with histologically proven complete section of the cuneate fasciculi very few (nine of 171) precentral neurones were influenced by natural activation of peripheral receptors in the forelimb. The zones from which these few afferent inputs were found could all have been proximal to the level of the cuneate lesion.5. The very small number of responding pre-central neurones found in an animal with complete section of the cuneate fasciculi made it likely that the dorsal columns * On leave from University of Bristol.J. BRINKMAN, B. M. BUSH AND R. PORTER provide the major pathway for effects from circumscribed peripheral receptors in the forelimb to influence precentral neurones. However, even in an animal with complete interruption of cuneate fibres, a proportion of post-central neurones could still be influenced by natural activation of peripheral receptors within restricted regions of the forelimb. Hence the 'sensory' cortex was still in receipt of afferent projections which could be revealed readily by the tests used.6. Normal movement performance of the forelimbs, including independent finger movement, which is demonstrated after cuneate lesions is not dependent on shortlatency feed-back to neuron...

Direct and indirect sensory input pathways to the motor cortex; Its structure and function in relation to learning of motor skills.

“…2). The results were in accord with the report that section of the dorsal column abolished sensory input to the motor cortex [20]. The results altogether provided strong evidence that the motor cortex receives peripheral input directly from the thalamus, but soon controversies arose.…”

Responses of precentral cells during cooling of post‐central cortex in conscious monkeys.

“…Early evidence, using evoked potential recordings, showed that the effects on the motor cortex of peripheral stimuli were not abolished by ablation of the somatosensory cortex (Malis, Pribram & Kruger, 1953;Adey, Porter & Carter, 1954). There is also evidence that the fibres responsible ascend in the dorsal columns (Brinkman, Bush & Porter, 1978; Asanuma, Larsen & Yumiya, 1980), a result consistent with the short latencies ofthe effects. The nucleus ventralis posterolateralis, pars oralis (v.p.l.o.)…”

The monkey globus pallidus: neuronal discharge properties in relation to movement.

“…Further, this property was equally present for both external and internal segment neurones related to either proximal or to distal joint movements. This phasic relationship to specific directions of movement about certain joints has been shown to also occur in motor-sensory cortex neurones by other B. IANSEK AND R. PORTER workers in this laboratory (Lemon et al 1976;Brinkman, Bush & Porter, 1978) and more importantly, this relationship has also been demonstrated for primate substantia nigra neurones (R. Iansek & M. K. Horne, personal observations); suggesting that this is a common feature for basal ganglia nuclei.…”