@article {89, title = {Using Neuronal Latency to Determine Sensory{\textendash}Motor Processing Pathways in Reaction Time Tasks}, journal = {Journal of Neurophysiology}, volume = {93}, year = {2004}, month = {11/2004}, pages = {2974 - 2986}, abstract = {

We describe a new technique that uses the timing of neuronal and behavioral responses to explore the contributions of individual neurons to specific behaviors. The approach uses both the mean neuronal latency and the trial-by-trial covariance between neuronal latency and behavioral response. Reliable measurements of these values were obtained from single-unit recordings made from anterior inferotemporal (AIT) cortex and the frontal eye fields (FEF) in monkeys while they performed a choice reaction time task. These neurophysiological data show that the responses of AIT neurons and some FEF neurons have little covariance with behavioral response, consistent with a largely \"sensory\" response. The responses of another group of FEF neurons with longer mean latency covary tightly with behavioral response, consistent with a largely \"motor\" response. A very small fraction of FEF neurons had responses consistent with an intermediate position in the sensory-motor pathway. These results suggest that this technique is a valuable tool for exploring the functional organization of neuronal circuits that underlie specific behaviors.

}, keywords = {Action Potentials, Afferent, Animal, Animals, Behavior, Macaca mulatta, Male, Models, Motor Neurons, Neural Pathways, Neurological, Neurons, Photic Stimulation, Psychomotor Performance, Reaction Time, Task Performance and Analysis, Temporal Lobe, Time Factors, Visual Fields}, issn = {0022-3077}, doi = {10.1152/jn.00508.2004}, url = {https://www.physiology.org/doi/10.1152/jn.00508.2004}, author = {DiCarlo, James J. and Maunsell, John H. R.} } @article {100, title = {Receptive field structure in cortical area 3b of the alert monkey}, journal = {Behavioural Brain Research}, volume = {135}, year = {2002}, month = {01/2002}, pages = {167 - 178}, abstract = {

More than 350 neurons with fingerpad receptive fields (RFs) were studied in cortical area 3b of three alert monkeys. Random dot patterns, which contain all stimulus patterns with equal probability, were scanned across these RFs at three velocities and eight directions to reveal the RFs\’ spatial and temporal structure. Area 3b RFs are characterized by three components: (1) a single, central excitatory region of short duration, (2) one or more inhibitory regions, also of short duration, that are adjacent to and nearly synchronous with the excitation, and (3) a region of inhibition that overlaps the excitation partially or totally and is temporally delayed with respect to the first two components. As a result of these properties, RF spatial structure depends on scanning direction but is virtually unaffected by changes in scanning velocity. This RF characterization, which is derived solely from responses to scanned random-dot patterns, predicts a neuron\&$\#$39;s responses to random patterns accurately, as expected, but it also predicts orientation sensitivity and preferred orientation measured with a scanned bar. Both orientation sensitivity and the ratio of coincident inhibition (number 2 above) to excitation are stronger in the supra- and infragranular layers than in layer IV.

}, keywords = {Action Potentials, Afferent, Animals, Brain Mapping, Evoked Potentials, Haplorhini, Models, Neurological, Neurons, Orientation, Reproducibility of Results, Skin, Somatosensory, Somatosensory Cortex}, issn = {01664328}, doi = {10.1016/S0166-4328(02)00162-6}, url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0166432802001626}, author = {DiCarlo, James J and Johnson, Kenneth O} } @article {110, title = {Structure of Receptive Fields in Area 3b of Primary Somatosensory Cortex in the Alert Monkey}, journal = {The Journal of Neuroscience}, volume = {18}, year = {1998}, month = {04/1998}, pages = {2626 - 2645}, abstract = {

We investigated the two-dimensional structure of area 3b neuronal receptive fields (RFs) in three alert monkeys. Three hundred thirty neurons with RFs on the distal fingerpads were studied with scanned, random dot stimuli. Each neuron was stimulated continuously for 14 min, yielding 20,000 response data points. Excitatory and inhibitory components of each RF were determined with a modified linear regression algorithm. Analyses assessing goodness-of-fit, repeatability, and generality of the RFs were developed. Two hundred forty-seven neurons yielded highly repeatable RF estimates, and most RFs accounted for a large fraction of the explainable response of each neuron. Although the area 3b RF structures appeared to be continuously distributed, certain structural generalities were apparent. Most RFs (94\%) contained a single, central region of excitation and one or more regions of inhibition located on one, two, three, or all four sides of the excitatory center. The shape, area, and strength of excitatory and inhibitory RF regions ranged widely. Half the RFs contained almost evenly balanced excitation and inhibition. The findings indicate that area 3b neurons act as local spatiotemporal filters that are maximally excited by the presence of particular stimulus features. We believe that form and texture perception are based on high-level representations and that area 3b is an intermediate stage in the processes leading to these representations. Two possibilities are considered: (1) that these high-level representations are basically somatotopic and that area 3b neurons amplify some features and suppress others, or (2) that these representations are highly transformed and that area 3b effects a step in the transformation.

}, keywords = {Afferent, Animals, Data Interpretation, Electrophysiology, Female, Macaca mulatta, Male, Neural Inhibition, Neurons, Reproducibility of Results, Somatosensory Cortex, Statistical, Touch}, issn = {0270-6474}, doi = {10.1523/JNEUROSCI.18-07-02626.1998}, url = {http://www.jneurosci.org/lookup/doi/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.18-07-02626.1998}, author = {DiCarlo, James J. and Johnson, Kenneth O. and Hsiao, Steven S.} }