Sources of Rapid and Delayed New Lower Jaw Input in the Forepaw Barrel Subfield (FBS) in Rat Primary Somatosensory Cortex (SI) Following Forelimb Deafferentation

ABSTRACT Previously, we reported an immediate emergence of new lower jaw input to the anterior forepaw barrel subfield (FBS) in primary somatosensory cortex (SI) following forelimb deafferentation. However, a delay of 7 weeks or more post‐amputation results in the presence of this new input to both anterior and posterior FBS. The immediate change suggests pre‐existing latent lower jaw input in the FBS, whereas the delayed alteration implies the involvement of alternative sources. One possible source for immediate lower jaw responses is the neighboring lower jaw barrel subfield (LJBSF). We used anatomical tracers to investigate the possible projection of LJBSF to the FBS in normal and forelimb‐amputated rats. Our findings are as follows: (1) anterograde tracer injection into LJBSF in normal and amputated rats labeled fibers and terminals exclusively in the anterior FBS; (2) retrograde tracer injection in the anterior FBS in normal and forelimb‐amputated rats, heavily labeled cell bodies predominantly in the posterior LJBSF, with fewer in the anterior LJBSF; (3) retrograde tracer injection in the posterior FBS in normal and forelimb‐amputated rats, sparsely labeled cell bodies in the posterior LJBSF; (4) retrograde tracer injection in anterior and posterior FBS in normal and forelimb‐amputated rats, labeled cells exclusively in ventral posterior lateral (VPL) nucleus and posterior thalamus (PO); (5) retrograde tracer injection in LJBSF‐labeled cell bodies exclusively in ventral posterior medial thalamic nucleus and PO. These findings suggest that LJBSF facilitates rapid lower jaw reorganization in the anterior FBS, whereas VPL and/or other subcortical sites provide a likely substrate for delayed reorganization observed in the posterior FBS. The rat's forepaw is represented in the forepaw barrel subfield (FBS) of the somatosensory cortex. After forelimb input loss, the anterior FBS immediately responds to lower jaw stimulation, with the entire FBS doing so in 7 weeks. The lower jaw barrel subfield (LJBSF) supplies immediate input, whereas the ventral posterior lateral (VPL) thalamus provides new delayed input to the posterior FBS.