Tactile stimuli from amniotic fluid guides the development of somatosensory cortex with hierarchical structure using human fetus simulation

Abstract

This paper describes the environmental factor for structuring somatosensory cortex model in fetus. Previous studies showed that somatosensory cortex could develop through interactions with body and environment. However, it remains unclear how the somatosensory develops through environmental interactions, especially what environments contribute to the development. To verify the environment, we applied computer simulations to emulate tactile stimuli of fetus as input for a learning model of proposed somatosensory cortex model. First, we verified proposed somatosensory cortex model is plausible for biological properties And then, we verified the important factor of uterine environment to organize the somatosensory cortex. In result, somatosensory cortex could not be organized well without amnionic fluid. Our results show that fluid resistance derived from aminionic fluid contributed to develop fetus somatosensory cortex in uterine evironment.