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Midbrain tegmental projections of nucleus reticularis thalami of cat and monkey: A retrograde transport and antidromic invasion study
Author(s) -
Parent A.,
Steriade M.
Publication year - 1984
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.902290408
Subject(s) - midbrain , superior colliculus , zona incerta , tegmentum , reticular formation , anatomy , biology , antidromic , axoplasmic transport , neuroscience , pretectal area , pons , thalamus , red nucleus , nucleus , central nervous system , stimulation
The projections of reticularis thalami (RE) neurons to midbrain reticular formation (MRF) and superior colliculus (SC) were studied in cat and monkey by using retrograde transport techniques and antidromic identification. The projections to MRF arise in rostral parts and lateral extent of RE nuclear complex whereas RE fibers to SC predominantly originate in the RE poster‐oventral district, Following injections of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) or fluorescent tracers into the MRF territory, retrogradely labeled neurons were always more numerous in the lateral hypothalamus and zona incerta than in the continuing RE wing. There were only very few doubly labeled RE cells following injections of fluorescent tracers into the midbrain tegmentum and thalamic nuclei, despite the fact that numerous doubly labeled cells occurred in the internal part of globus pallidum and pars reticulata of substantia nigra in the same animals. Control injections in the pons showed that RE labeling after midbrain injections was not due to uptake by fibers coursing more caudally. Antidromic identification experiments in cat confirmed the existence of a descending RE input to midbrain and further indicated that RE‐midbrain projections consist of slow‐conducting (≏1 m/second) axons.