Brain’s Sensory ‘Volume Control’ Discovered
Our sense of touch can feel sharp one moment and muted the next. New research reveals this inconsistency may be due to a feedback loop between the thalamus and somatosensory cortex, where thalamic input subtly changes how sensitive cortical neurons are to incoming stimuli. Rather than triggering immediate action, this pathway primes neurons using an alternative glutamate receptor, fine-tuning perception based on context. The finding reshapes our understanding of sensory processing and could help explain altered perception in neurological conditions like autism. ….[READ]
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