Axonal bias at a representational border in adult rat somatosensory cortex (S1).

The cortex is a highly organized structure and this organization is integral to cortical function. However, the circuitry underlying cortical organization is only partially understood, thus limiting our understanding of cortical function. Within the somatosensory cortex, organization is manifest as a map of the body surface.

Large-scale changes in dendritic structure during reorganization of adult somatosensory cortex.

In adult rat somatosensory cortex (S1), neurons are biased and have less dendritic arbor close to the border between the forepaw and lower jaw representations. Changes in sensory experience cause changes in the functional organization of the neocortex. Therefore, we examined the morphology of neurons in the reorganized region of S1 after forepaw denervation.