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Projections of individual purkinje cells of identified zones in the ventral nodulus to the vestibular and cerebellar nuclei in the rabbit
Author(s) -
Wylie D. R.,
De Zeeuw C. I.,
Digiorgi P. L.,
Simpson J. I.
Publication year - 1994
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.903490309
Subject(s) - flocculus , vestibular nuclei , anatomy , lateral vestibular nucleus , optokinetic reflex , biology , medial vestibular nucleus , vestibular system , neuroscience , white matter , cerebellum , nucleus , stimulation , purkinje cell , pretectal area , oculomotor nucleus , central nervous system , medicine , midbrain , radiology , magnetic resonance imaging
The projections of Purkinje cells from zones in the ventral nodulus of pigmented rabbits were studied with the use of extracellulary injected biocytin as an anterograde tracer. The zones were physiologically identified according to the complex spike modulation of Purkinje cells in response to optokinetic stimulation. Purkinje cells in the most medialzone do not respond to optokinetic stimulation; they project to the fastigial nucleus, the perifastigial white matter, the periinterposed white matter, and the medial vestibular nucleus. In the adjacent zone, Purkinje cells respond best to optokinetic stimulation about the vertical axis; they project to the periinterposed white matter and the medial vestibular nucleus. Purkinje cells in the next zone respond best to optokinetic stimulation about an axis approximately perpendicular to the ipsilateral anterior canal; they project to the periinterposed white matter, dorsal group y, the superior vestibular nucleus, and the medial vestibular nucleus. In the most lateral zone, Purkinje cells respond best to optokinetic stimulation about the vertical axis; they project to the periinterposed white matter, dorsal group y, and the medial vestibular nucleus. The majority of axons gave off collaterals and innervated more than one nucleus. Often, three or four different areas received terminals from a single Purkinje cell axon. The zonal projection pattern of the ventral nodulus is compared to that of the flocculus, which, with respect to the visual climbing fiber afferents, has similar zones. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.