In the visual system of primates, different neuronal pathways are specialized for processing information about the spatial coordinates of objects and their identity — that is, ‘where’ and ‘what’. By contrast, rats and other nocturnal animals build up a neuronal representation of ‘where’ and ‘what’ by seeking out and palpating objects with their whiskers. We present recent evidence about how the brain constructs a representation of the surrounding world through whisker-mediated sense of touch. While considerable knowledge exists about the representation of the physical properties of stimuli — like texture, shape and position — we know little about how the brain represents their meaning. Future research may elucidate this and show how the transformation of one representation to another is achieved.

'Where' and 'what' in the whisker sensorimotor system / Diamond, Mathew Ernest; von Heimendahl, M; Knutsen, Pm; Kleinfeld, D; Ahissar, E.. - In: NATURE REVIEWS. NEUROSCIENCE. - ISSN 1471-0048. - 9:8(2008), pp. 601-612. [10.1038/nrn2411]

'Where' and 'what' in the whisker sensorimotor system

Diamond, Mathew Ernest;
2008-01-01

Abstract

In the visual system of primates, different neuronal pathways are specialized for processing information about the spatial coordinates of objects and their identity — that is, ‘where’ and ‘what’. By contrast, rats and other nocturnal animals build up a neuronal representation of ‘where’ and ‘what’ by seeking out and palpating objects with their whiskers. We present recent evidence about how the brain constructs a representation of the surrounding world through whisker-mediated sense of touch. While considerable knowledge exists about the representation of the physical properties of stimuli — like texture, shape and position — we know little about how the brain represents their meaning. Future research may elucidate this and show how the transformation of one representation to another is achieved.
2008
9
8
601
612
Diamond, Mathew Ernest; von Heimendahl, M; Knutsen, Pm; Kleinfeld, D; Ahissar, E.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11767/16630
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