Layer-specific activation in human primary somatosensory cortex during tactile temporal prediction error processing

• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118867
• Publication Date: 2021-12-30T16:54:09Z
• Authors: Yinghua Yu; Laurentius Huber; Jiajia Yang; Masaki Fukunaga; Yuhui Chai; David C. Jangraw; Gang Chen; Daniel A. Handwerker; Peter J. Molfese; Yoshimichi Ejima; Norihiro Sadato; Jinglong Wu; Peter A. Bandettini
• Keywords: Secondary somatosensory cortex; Human brain; Barrel cortex

The human brain continuously generates predictions of incoming sensory input and calculates corresponding prediction errors from the perceived inputs to update internal predictions. In primary somatosensory cortex (area 3b), different cortical layers are involved in receiving generation error signals. It remains unknown, however, how area 3b contribute temporal processing. To investigate representation across layers, we acquired layer-specific functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data at 7T during a task index finger poking with no-delay, short-delay long-delay touching sequences. We demonstrate that all three tasks increased activity both superficial deep compared random input. fMRI signal was differentially modulated solely rather than by delay time. Compared no-delay stimuli, greater stimuli but lower stimuli. This difference features suggest distinct contributions tactile segregation may reflect excitatory inhibitory interplay flexible communication between or areas.