DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/8JPM-1972
Defense Date
2006
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Anatomy & Neurobiology
First Advisor
Dr. M. Alex Meredith
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that neuronal connections occur between primary auditory and visual cortices of the primate (Falchier et al., 2002; Rockland and Ojima, 2003), and it has been suggested that these projections are involved in multisensory processing in these lower-level, core areas of cortex. The present study was conducted to determine if similar connections occur in other higher mammals such as carnivores (ferrets; Mustela putorius). Large injections of sensitive neuroanatomical tracer were placed within the core areas of auditory cortex in 3 ferrets. After transport and processing, labeled axon terminals were found not in primary visual cortex, but in area 19, or V3. Injection of tracer into V3 of 3 additional ferrets produced retrogradely labeled neurons not in the core region of auditory cortex, but along its posterior borders. These data indicate that cross-modal connections occur in the ferret cortex, but do not support the notion that they exist between the primary representations of the different sensory modalities.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
June 2008