At present, this data set contains data from 3403 neurons. However, some were incompletely studied and their data may need to be set aside depending upon the analysis.
Adult male cats were used. Under general anesthesia, the scull was opened and a chronic-recording plug was installed over the desired sampling region. Head stabilizing pins fitted to a stereotaxic frame were also installed and the plug/pin assembly anchored to the scull with titanium screws and dental cement. The plug served as a carrier for eccentric electrode guide cylenders (0.5 mm steps from 0.0 to 2.5 mm). By rotating these guides (from angle position 1.0 through 12.0 and back to 1.0), electrode penitrations could be made over a circular region with a 5.0 mm diameter. Etched tungsten microelectrodes were used.
Subsequent to implantation, single neurones were extracellularly isolated in the awake state while manipulating peripheral receptive fields with natural stimulation. The cat was trained to rest quietly while in a canvas sling through which his legs could project and his head was held securely in the stereotaxic frame. One penitration was run per day. When a nuron was found, its modality and peripheral receptive field was determined. Then the state of arousal was shifted to more alert and the mapping repeated. The first neuron found in a track was arbitrarily assigned a depth of zero and the depth of all subsequently isolated neurons in the track were relative to the first.
After a sufficient number of tracks had been run in the awake state, the cat was anethetized with either alpha-chloralose or Nembutol and a representative number of tracks run over a 24 hour period using the same paradigm.
These data have been prepared as rectangular ASCII tables to provide the most generality for import into a variety of data analysis systems. The data are organized in BLOCKs, each containing a subset of variables. Each neuron has been arbitrarily assigned a unique number (UN#; not in the order of data collection). This number specifies to which neuron (table row) the data in the BLOCK belongs. The first link provides a list of symbol definitions and variable names with the encoding for the group variables.
Many of the BLOCKs contain zeros or negative numbers (see 'Variables and encoding' below) to fill out the table where there was no data. In general, a -8 means 'no response' and a -9 means 'not tested'. A zero means 'unknown' (i.e., either 'not tested' or 'no response'). The users will have to make the required transformation to {null} for the data processing system they use.
The data files are in HTML with the data bracketed as TEXT rather than as an FTP site so that the user can actually look at the data before deciding to store them. Use your browser's 'File/ Save As' and assign a 'file name' to store a local copy. Then use a text editor to remove the HTML code at the beginning and end of the file as well as the column labels.
The diagrams below show where the sample was taken relative to the Chloralose and Nembutol samples shown in Figure 1. The open dot at the center of the circle is radius = 0.0, angle = 0.0. The circle is 2.5 mm in radius with the mark at angle = 12.0. Angles run counterclockwise from 1.0 through 12.5 and back to 1.0 in uniform steps.
Data Block 01 (Awake)
Data Block 02
Data Block 01 (Chloralose)
Data Block 02
Data Block 01 (Awake)
Data Block 02
Data Block 01 (Awake-closely spaced tracks)
Data Block 01 (Chloralose)
Data Block 02
Data Block 01 (Awake)
Data Block 02
Data Block 01 (Awake)
Data Block 02
Data Block 01 (Chloralose)
Data Block 02
Data Block 01 (Awake)
Data Block 02
Data Block 01 (Chloralose)
Data Block 02
Slimp, J. C. and A. L. Towe. 1977. Characteristics of somatic receptive fields of neurons in postcruciate cerebral cortex in awake-restrained and two anesthetic conditions in the same cat. Neurosci. Abs. 2:492.
Slimp, J. C. and A. L. Towe. 1990. Spatial distribution of modalities and receptive fields in sensorimotor cortex of awake cats. Exp. Neurol. 107:78-96.