Almost all of the messages that are received by the cerebral cortex from the environment or from the body's internal receptors come through the thalamus and much current thought about perceptual processing is based on sensory pathways that relay in the thalamus. This volume focuses on three major areas: the role of thalamocortical communication in cognition and attention; the role of the thalamus in communication between cortical areas; the hypothesis that much or all of the information relayed by thalamus, even to classical, pure "sensory" areas of cortex, represents a corollary message being sent simultaneously to motor centers. It presents a broad overview of important recent advances in these areas.
* Provides a look at brain structures involved in perception and action
* Includes summaries by leading investigators in the field
* Presents recent advances in our understanding of brain functions

Every cortical area receives input from the thalamus and projects to the thalamus. The cortex and thalamus, therefore, are inseparable partners for sensation, action, and cognition. Exploring Thalamocortical Interactions provides readers with foundational knowledge needed to understand the cellular and circuit properties of thalamocortical networks, and then goes on to consider new ideas and hypotheses, some of which are quite speculative. Some of the major themes emphasized throughout the book include: * the need for a proper classification of thalamocortical and corticothalamic circuits * the role of spike timing for thalamocortical and corticothalamic communication and the mechanisms for modulating spike timing * the organization and function of corticothalamic feedback projections * the role of higher order thalamic nuclei in cortico-cortical communication and cortical functioning * attentional modulation of thalamocortical interactions * a rethinking of efference copies and distinguishing neural signals as sensory versus motor Exploring Thalamocortical Interactions combines foundational knowledge from decades of research with fresh ideas and hypotheses on how the thalamus and cortex work together for sensation, action, and cognition.

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Sensory Systems provides a comprehensive scholarly account of the diverse means that organisms use to interact with their environments, as well as the biological adaptations that shape these systems across species. More than 100 leading scholars were commissioned to write brand new articles for these volumes, contributing to a collective effort that presents both foundational and emerging topics in the field of sensory neuroscience. Organized into topical sections, across 61 long-form articles, the Encyclopedia examines the somotaosensory, vestibular, olfactory, and gustatory systems of vertebrates and invertebrates alike. Each peer-reviewed article provides a thorough summary of the subject at hand and deepens understanding by discussing the history of perspectives on the topic, the current state of the field, and future directions for research. As a work, the Encyclopedia serves as a valuable contribution and testament to the variety of scholarship within sensory neuroscience. Researchers, students, and professionals alike will turn to The Oxford Encyclopedia of Sensory Systems as a standard reference in the field.