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THE COURSE OF THE SPINO‐OLIVARY TRACT IN CATS
Author(s) -
Kusama Toshio
Publication year - 1961
Publication title -
psychiatry and clinical neurosciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1440-1819
pISSN - 1323-1316
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1819.1961.tb00646.x
Subject(s) - inferior olivary nucleus , anatomy , fasciculus , medulla oblongata , spinal cord , cats , superior olivary complex , corticospinal tract , biology , brainstem , white matter , neuroscience , medicine , cerebellum , central nervous system , diffusion mri , magnetic resonance imaging , fractional anisotropy , radiology , cochlear nucleus
Summary The course of the spino‐olivary tract was followed by the Marchi method on adult cats in which C l , C 2 , C3, C 8 and L 3 of the spinal cord were partially cut by means of small knives, with special reference to Ogaiva's triangle fasciculus which was reported by Ogawa in intact mammals as corresponding to Helweg's triangle fasciculus in human material. The survival time was 17 to 22 days after operation. The results obtained were as follows: 1) The spino‐olivary tract ascends bilaterally and diffusely through the ventral layer of the ventral funiculus below C 4 or C 5 , Above about C 4 or C 5 , this tract is gradually collected in the region underneath the pia mater along the ventral margin of the ventral funiculus. At C 1 and C 2 , the spino‐thalamic tract joins the region of the spino‐olivary fract, two tracts intermingling and forming together a fiber bundle consisting of finer fibers than those surrounding them. The bundle is now recognizable in intact material as the triangle fasciculus. At the level of the pyramidal decussation it lies just lateral to the pyramis, and at the olivary level mainly medial to the hypoglossal root and ventrolateral to the inferior olive. The spino‐olivary tract terminates in the dorsal and medial accessory olive. Our observations indicate that most of the spino‐olivary tract takes the course mentioned. 2) The opinion of Cajal and Brodal et al. that the spino‐olivary tract is formed of collaterals is unacceptable as far as our observations reach. 3) The difference that the triangle fasciculus in cat stands in connection with the accessory olivary nuclei, while the same in human material connects with the main olivary nucleus, must be worth of special mentioning.