Torso rotation and hand position modulation functional MRI [dataset]

Topographic maps have been extensively studied for well over 30 years and reflect a fundamental organizing principle of the cerebral cortex. These experiments demonstrate that a number of distinct functional-anatomical zones exist in humans, non-human primates and rodents. However, a recent study reported that such phase-encoded maps are altered by subtle offsets in the static position of the eyes in the orbits. It is therefore unknown to what extent changes in other effectors, for example, the torso or even a single hand may also modulate the parietal phase maps that underpin the delineation of such key topographic anatomical-functional boundaries. Here we show that subtle static offsets of either the torso or even the position of one hand dramatically alters the overall phase maps when assessing the entire neuronal ensemble in the superior parietal lobule. These data provide new insights into the nature of topographic mapping in the brain, and demonstrate the need for developing consistent and effective topographic mapping protocols in the future scientific literature.