Neural mechanisms underlying the construction of distinct barrel maps, and to what extent they rely on the type of sensory receptors are not fully understood. Here authors show that prenatal mystacial whisker ablation triggers a thalamic mechanism that rescales cortical territories, refining upper lip whisker barrels and enhancing sensory resolution, emphasizing a critical developmental process in sensory mapping.
- Mar Aníbal-Martínez
- Lorenzo Puche-Aroca
- Guillermina López-Bendito