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Sources of subcortical projections to the superior colliculus in the cat
Author(s) -
Edwards Stephen B.,
Ginsburgh Charles L.,
Henkel Craig K.,
Stein Barry E.
Publication year - 1979
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.901840207
Subject(s) - pretectal area , superior colliculus , lateral lemniscus , optic tract , neuroscience , inferior colliculus , biology , serotonergic cell groups , tegmentum , zona incerta , anatomy , cuneate nucleus , parabrachial nucleus , nucleus , reticular formation , dorsal column nuclei , midbrain , central nervous system , optic nerve , biochemistry , receptor , serotonergic , serotonin
A comprehensive search for subcortical projections to the cat superior colliculus was conducted using the retrograde horseradish peroxidase (HRP) method. Over 40 different subcortical structures project to the superior colliculus. The more notable among these are grouped under the following categories. Visual structures : ventral lateral geniculate nucleus, parabigeminal nucleus, pretectal area (nucleus of the optic tract, posterior pretectal nucleus, nuclei of the posterior commissure). Auditory structures : inferior colliculus (external and pericentral nuclei), dorsomedial periolivary nucleus, nuclei of the trapezoid body, ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus. Somatosensory structures : sensory trigeminal complex (all divisions, but mainly the γ division of nucleus oralis), dorsal column nuclei (mostly cuneate nucleus), and the lateral cervical nucleus. Catecholamine nuclei : locus coeruleus, raphe dorsalis, and the parabrachial nuclei. Cerebellum : medial, interposed, and lateral nuclei, and the perihypoglossal nuclei. Reticular areas : zona incerta, substantia nigra, midbrain tegmentum, nucleus paragigantocellularis lateralis, and the hypothalamus. Evidence is presented that only the parabigeminal nucleus, the nucleus of the optic tract, and the posterior pretectal nucleus project to the superficial collicular layers ( striatum griseum superficiale and stratum opticum ), while all other afferents terminate in the deeper layers of the colliculus. Also presented is information concerning the rostrocaudal distribution of some of these afferent connections. These findings stress the multiplicity and diversity of inputs to the deeper collicular layers, and more specifically, identify multiple sources of the physiologically well‐known representations of the somatic and auditory modalities in the colliculus.