The barrel field of the adult mouse SmI cortex as revealed by NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry

The main goal of the present work was to investigate the pattern of NADPH-d iaphorase activity in the somatosensory cortex of the adult mouse. Our resu lts show that this enzyme, which is responsible for the production of the n euronal messenger nitric oxide, is abundant within the neuropil of Smt cort ex, revealing the complete pattern of barrel fields. A previous study, howe ver, had reported that NADPH-diaphorase reactivity within the barrels was t ransient, disappearing after the second postnatal week. We hypothesize that the massive occurrence of NADPH-diaphorase in the barrel fields of the adu lt mouse brain is related to the potential for plastic changes in the somat osensory cortex that is maintained throughout maturity. NeuroReport 11:1889 -1892 (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.