Thalamic relay for group I muscle afferents of forelimb nerves in the monkey.

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Abstract
Thalamic relay transmitting signals from low-threshold muscle afferents of the forelimb to the cerebral cortex were investigated in anesthetized monkeys [M. fascicularis]. Recordings were made of field potentials and single-unit potentials in response to weak electrical nerve stimuli. The objective was to localize the functionally defined territory within the confines of thalamic nuclei. Neurons of the thalamic relay for group I-afferents of the forelimb apparently project to cortical area 3a. As found for area 3a, they displayed characteristics indicating that they are components of a fast and secure conducting system. The observation that responses in area 3a evoked by forelimb group I-afferents were abolished by dorsal column section and the fact that both the thalamic and cortical responses to electrical and stretch stimuli were stable even under deep Nembutal anesthesia, indicates that the thalamic relay investigated is part of the ventrobasal complex (defined by its lemniscal input).