体感对于动物通过触摸感知外部世界至关重要,允许他们检测身体接触,温度,疼痛,和身体位置。对啮齿动物vibrisae的研究强调了哺乳动物体感通路中的组织和加工。1,2脊椎动物之间的比较研究对于理解体感系统的进化影响和生态专业化至关重要。鸟,它们不同的形态,感官能力,和行为,作为研究躯体感觉进化的理想模型。先前的研究已经发现了禽类端脑内的触觉反应区域,特别是在鸽子中,3,4,5,6鹦鹉,7和雀,8,但尚未完全了解鸟类物种的体感图和反应的变化。本研究旨在探索安娜蜂鸟(Calypteanna)和斑马雀(Taeniopygiaguttata)的端脑中的体位组织和神经编码,通过使用体内细胞外电生理学记录响应于各个身体区域的受控触觉刺激的活动。这些发现揭示了跨不同前脑体感核的身体区域的独特表征,表明特定身体表面区域的程度存在显著差异,这可能与他们的行为重要性相关。
Somatosensation is essential for animals to perceive the external world through touch, allowing them to detect physical contact, temperature, pain, and body position. Studies on rodent vibrissae have highlighted the organization and processing in mammalian somatosensory pathways.1,2 Comparative research across vertebrates is vital for understanding evolutionary influences and ecological specialization on somatosensory systems. Birds, with their diverse morphologies, sensory abilities, and behaviors, serve as ideal models for investigating the evolution of somatosensation. Prior studies have uncovered tactile-responsive areas within the avian telencephalon, particularly in pigeons,3,4,5,6 parrots,7 and finches,8 but variations in somatosensory maps and responses across avian species are not fully understood. This study aims to explore somatotopic organization and neural coding in the telencephalon of Anna\'s hummingbirds (Calypte anna) and zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) by using in vivo extracellular electrophysiology to record activity in response to controlled tactile stimuli on various body regions. These findings reveal unique representations of body regions across distinct forebrain somatosensory nuclei, indicating significant differences in the extent of areas dedicated to certain body surfaces, which may correlate with their behavioral importance.