Conclusions
• Bottom up
– Receptors to spinal cord to cortex
• Top down
– Cortex to subcortical centers - Layers 5, 6
– Other cortical areas project into somatic sensory cortex
• Result
– Experience and expectation modulates stimulus
processing, both subcortically in relay nuclei and in
cortex
• illusions
– Pathological states can generate sensation de novo
• halucinations