TrpM8 ‐mediated somatosensation in mouse neocortex

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Activation of cutaneous TrpM8 receptor‐expressing neurons was used to identify candidate neocortical areas responsive for cool sensation. Brain areas corresponding to the posterior insular cortex and secondary somatosensory (S2) show elevated fos‐IR after menthol stimulation, with weaker activation in primary somatosensory cortex (S1). Menthol‐mediated activation was absent in TrpM8‐knock‐out animals. Our results indicate that cool somatosensory input broadly drives neural activity across the mouse brain, with neocortical signal most elevated in the posterior insula, as well as S2 and S1.

Source: The Journal of Comparative Neurology - February 26, 2018 Category: Neurology Authors: Patrick Beukema, Katherine L. Cecil, Elena Peterson, Victor R. Mann, Megumi Matsushita, Yoshio Takashima, Saket Navlakha, Alison L. Barth Tags: Research Article Source Type: research