The organization of the second somatosensory area (SmII) of the grey squirrel

Abstract

Microelectrode mapping methods were used to determine the organization of the second somatosensory representation, SmII, in grey squirrels. A systematic representation of the contralateral body surface was found in lateral parietal cortex adjoining the first somatosensory representation, SmI (Sur et al., '78a). The representation of the body in SmII was found to be much less distorted than in SmI. Under our recording conditions, almost all recording sites were activated from strictly contralateral body locations. The most important finding was that the basic orientation of the body representation in SmIi is “erect” rather than “inverted.” This orientation allows SmII and SmI to be adjoined along a common border representing the top of the head and face. This type of border has been called congruent (Allman and Kaas, '75; Kaas, '77), and it may have significance in the development of sensory representations.