Experimental Brain Research

, Volume 80, Issue 3, pp 532–544 | Cite as

Projections from the medial agranular cortex to brain stem visuomotor centers in rats

  • S. L. Stuesse
  • D. B. Newman
Article
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Summary

Projections from medial agranular cortex to brain stem in rat were determined by use of the anterograde tracers Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin, or wheat germ agglutinin conjugated horseradish peroxidase. Axonal trajectories were also followed by means of the Wiitanen modification of the Fink-Heimer degeneration technique. AGm was identified on the basis of its cytoarchitectonics. AGm projected to the anterior pretectal nucleus, the rostral interstitial nucleus of the medial longitudinal fasciculus, the medial accessory oculomotor nucleus of Bechterew, the interstitial nucleus of Cajal, the nucleus of Darkschewitsch, the nucleus cuneiformis and subcuneiformis, intermediate and deep superior collicular layers, the paramedian pontine reticular formation (reticularis pontis oralis and caudalis, and reticularis gigantocellularis), and raphe centralis superior. Differences in connections between rostral and caudal injections were observed: pontine and medullary projections were lighter from the rostral portion of AGm than from the more caudal portions of AGm. The heaviest projections to the anterior pretectal nucleus were from the caudal portion of AGm. The subcortical projections were very similar to those described for the frontal eye field in monkeys, and the majority of them targeted areas thought to be involved in coordination of gaze with head and neck movements. Thus AGm in rats may contain the homologue of the primate frontal eye fields.

Key words

Frontal cortex Frontal eye fields Reticular formation Brain stem Preoculomotor nuclei Rat 

Abbreviations

3

main oculomotor nucleus

7

facial motor nucleus;

I, II–IV, V, and VI

cortical layers

III

third ventricle

7n

facial nerve

AC

Anterior commissure

AGm

medial agranular cortex

Bec

Nucleus of Bechterew

cc

corpus callosum

Dark

Nucleus of Darkschewitsch

Dc

dorsal cochlear nucleus

DLG

dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus

F

fornix

fr

fasciculus retroflexus

ic

inferior colliculus

Me5

mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus

ml

medial lemniscus

mlf

medial longitudinal fasciculus

Mo5

trigeminal motor nucleus

nV

trigeminal nerve

pc

posterior commissure

pn

pons

Po

posterior thalamic nucleus

PPo

pedunculo-pontine nucleus

PPRF

paramedian pontine reticular formation

py

pyramidal tract

R

red nucleus

RaCs

raphe centralis superior

RaD

dorsal raphe nucleus

RCf

reticularis cuneiformis

RiMLF

rostral interstitial nucleus of the medial longitudinal fasciculus

RMc

reticularis magnocellularis

RPc

reticularis parvocellularis

RPoCa

reticularis pontis caudalis pars alpha

RPoCb

reticularis pontis caudalis pars beta

RPoO

reticularis pontis oralis

RPoOm

reticularis pontis oralis pars medialis

RScf

reticularis subcuneiformis

sc

superior colliculus

SCP

superior cerebellar peduncle

so

superior olive

Sp5

spinal trigeminal nucleus

Tz

trapezoid nucleus

WGA-HRP

wheat germ agglutinin- horseradish peroxidase

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1990

Authors and Affiliations

  • S. L. Stuesse
    • 1
  • D. B. Newman
    • 2
  1. 1.Neurobiology DepartmentN.E.Ohio Universities, College of MedicineRootstownUSA
  2. 2.Department of AnatomyF. Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services, University of the Health SciencesBethesdaUSA

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