Tactile information from the vibrissal system modulates hippocampal functioning

• Published in: Current research in neurobiology Vol. 3; p. 100034
• Main Authors: Ibarra-Castaneda, Nereida, Moy-Lopez, Norma A., Gonzalez-Perez, Oscar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 2022; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult neurogenesis; Barrel cortex; Hippocampus; Subgranular zone; Vibrissae; Barrel cortex; Vibrissae; Subgranular zone; Adult neurogenesis; Hippocampus; barrel cortex; adult neurogenesis; subgranular zone; hippocampus
• ISSN: 2665-945X; 2665-945X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.crneur.2022.100034

Most mammals have sensory tactile hairs, also known as whiskers or vibrissae. Traditionally, whiskers are associated with diverse survival skills, including tactile discrimination, distance assessment, food acquisition, gap crossing, and social interaction. Vibrissae functions are processed in the somatosensorial cortex, commonly referred to as the barrel cortex. Hence, most of the whisker-related research has been focused on this cortical region. However, increasing evidence indicates that the vibrissal system modulates several aspects of hippocampal physiology. This graphical review aims to summarize cumulative evidence indicating that whiskers regulate the neural function and cellularity in several hippocampal subfields. Interestingly, lack of whiskers notably affects neuronal firing in CA1 and CA3 hippocampal subfields, alters spatial mapping, impairs navigational skills, modifies cytoarchitecture, and reduces the adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. This evidence extends our understanding of how whiskers are related to hippocampal function and offers insights to explore novel associations between whisker functions and neural plasticity in the hippocampus. [Display omitted] •Whiskers provide tactile information to the somatosensory cortex and hippocampus.•Lack of whiskers reduces neuronal firing in CA1 and CA3 hippocampal subfields.•Whisker activity modulates spatial mapping, navigational skills, and c-Fos expression.•Whisker deprivation reduces the adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus.