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Cortical connections of the visuomotor parietooccipital area V6Ad of the macaque monkey
Author(s) -
Gamberini Michela,
Passarelli Lauretta,
Fattori Patrizia,
Zucchelli Mino,
Bakola Sophia,
Luppino Giuseppe,
Galletti Claudio
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.21980
Subject(s) - intraparietal sulcus , macaque , sulcus , neuroscience , biology , anatomy , superior temporal sulcus , parietal lobe , dorsum , cytoarchitecture , superior parietal lobule , lobe , posterior parietal cortex , inferior parietal lobule , functional magnetic resonance imaging
Area V6A, a functionally defined region in the anterior bank of the parietooccipital sulcus, has been subdivided into dorsal and ventral cytoarchitectonic fields (V6Ad and V6Av). The aim of this study was to define the cortical connections of the cytoarchitectonic field V6Ad. Retrograde and bidirectional neuronal tracers were injected into the dorsal part of the anterior bank of parietooccipital sulcus of seven macaque monkeys ( Macaca fascicularis ). The limits of injection sites were compared with those of cytoarchitectonic fields. The major connections of V6Ad were with areas of the superior parietal lobule. The densest labeling was observed in the medial intraparietal area (MIP). Areas PEc, PGm, and V6Av were also strongly connected. Labeled cells were found in medial parietal area 31; in cingulate area 23; in the anterior (AIP), ventral (VIP), and lateral (LIP) intraparietal areas; in the inferior parietal lobule (fields Opt and PG); and in the medial superior temporal area (MST). In the frontal lobe, the main projection originated from F2, although labeled cells were also found in F7 and area 46. Preliminary results obtained from injections in nearby areas PEc and V6Av revealed connections different from those of V6Ad. In agreement with functional data, the strong connections with areas where arm‐reaching activity is represented suggest that V6Ad is part of a parietofrontal circuit involved in the control of prehension, and connections with AIP specifically support an involvement in the control of grasping. Connections with areas LIP and Opt are likely related to the oculomotor activities observed in V6Ad. J. Comp. Neurol. 513:622–642, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.