Cortical and medullary somatosensory projections to the cochlear nuclear complex in the hedgehog tenrec

Neurosci Lett. 1997 Jan 17;221(2-3):125-8. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3940(96)13305-x.

Abstract

Various tracer substances were injected into the spinal cord, the dorsal column nuclei, the trigeminal nuclear complex and the somatosensory cortex in Madagascan hedgehog tenrecs. With the exception of the cases injected exclusively into the spinal cord all injections gave rise to sparse, but distinct anterograde projections to the cochlear nuclear complex, particularly the granular cell domain within and outside of the dorsal cochlear nucleus. Among these cochlear afferents the projection from the primary somatosensory cortex is the most remarkable because the hedgehog tenrec has one of the lowest encephalisation indices among mammals and a similar cortico-cochlear connection has not been demonstrated so far in other species.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Afferent Pathways / anatomy & histology
  • Afferent Pathways / physiology
  • Animals
  • Cerebral Cortex / anatomy & histology*
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiology
  • Cochlear Nucleus / anatomy & histology*
  • Cochlear Nucleus / physiology
  • Hedgehogs / anatomy & histology*
  • Medulla Oblongata / anatomy & histology*
  • Medulla Oblongata / physiology
  • Somatosensory Cortex / anatomy & histology*
  • Somatosensory Cortex / physiology
  • Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal / anatomy & histology
  • Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal / physiology