摘要Crossmodal information processing in sensory cortices has been reported in sparsely distributed neurons under normal conditions and can undergo experience-or activity-induced plasticity.Given the potential role in brain function as indicated by previous reports,crossmodal connectivity in the sensory cortex needs to be further explored.Using perforated whole-cell recording in anes-thetized adult rats,we found that almost all neurons recorded in the primary somatosensory,auditory,and visual cortices exhibited significant membrane-potential responses to crossmodal stimulation,as recorded when brain activity states were pharmacologically down-regu-lated in light anesthesia.These crossmodal cortical responses were excitatory and subthreshold,and further seemed to be relayed primarily by the sensory thalamus,but not the sensory cortex,of the stimulated modality.Our experiments indicate a sensory cortical presence of wide-spread excitatory crossmodal inputs,which might play roles in brain functions involving crossmodal information processing or plasticity.