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The vestibulothalamic projections in the cat studied by retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase

Experimental Brain Research volume 40, pages 405–418 (1980)Cite this article

Summary

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was injected or iontophoretically ejected in various thalamic nuclei in 63 adult cats. In 11 other animals HRP was deposited outside the thalamic territory. The number and distribution of labelled cells within the vestibular nuclear complex (VC) were mapped in each case. To a varying degree all subgroups of VC appear to contribute to the vestibulothalamic projections. Such fibres are distributed to several thalamic areas. From the present investigation it appears that generally speaking, there exist three distinct vestibulothalamic pathways with regard to origin as well as to site of termination of the fibres. One projection appears to originate mainly in caudal parts of the medial (M) and descending (D) vestibular nuclei and in cell group z. This pathway terminates chiefly in the contralateral medial part of the posterior nucleus of the thalamus (POm) including the magnocellular part of the medial geniculate body (Mgmc), the ventrobasal complex (VB) and the area of the ventral lateral nucleus (VL) bordering on VB. A second projection originates mainly in the superior vestibular nucleus (S) and in cell group y and terminates mainly in the contralateral nucleus centralis lateralis (CL) and the adjoining nucleus paracentralis (Pc). A third, more modest, pathway originates chiefly in the middle M and D, with a minor contribution from S and cell group y, and terminates in the contralateral ventral nucleus of the lateral geniculate body (GLV). There is some degree of overlap between the origin of these three vestibulothalamic pathways.

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Abbreviations

B.c.:

brachium conjunctivum

CeM:

nucleus centralis medialis thalami

CL:

nucleus centralis lateralis thalami

CM:

nucleus centrum medianum

D:

nucleus vestibularis descendons

f:

cell group f

g:

cell group g

GLD:

corpus geniculatum laterale dorsalis

GLV:

corpus geniculatum laterale ventralis

i.e.:

nucleus intercalatus

L:

nucleus vestibularis lateralis

LD:

nucleus lateralis dorsalis thalami

LIM:

lamina medullaris interna

Lim:

nucleus limitans

LP:

nucleus lateralis posterior thalami

M:

nucleus vestibularis medialis

MD:

nucleus medialis dorsalis thalami

MGmc:

corpus geniculatum mediale, pars magnocellularis

MGp:

corpus geniculatum mediale, pars principalis

N.cu.e.:

nucleus cuneatus externus

N.f.c.:

nucleus fasciculi cuneati

N.mes.:

V nucleus mesencephalicus nervi trigemini

NR:

nucleus ruber

N.tr.s.:

nucleus tractus solitarius

N.:

VII nervus facialis

N.:

VIII nervus statoacusticus

PC:

pedunculus cerebri

Pc:

nucleus paracentralis thalami

Pf:

nucleus parafascicularis

p.h.:

nucleus prepositus hypoglossi

PO:

posterior thalamic group

PO1:

lateral part of PO

POm:

medial part of PO

Prt:

nucleus pretectalis

Pul:

pulvinar

R:

nucleus reticularis thalami

S:

nucleus vestibularis superior

Sg:

nucleus suprageniculatus

SN:

substantia nigra

Sv:

nucleus supravestibularis

Tr.s.:

tractus solitarius

VA:

nucleus ventralis anterior thalami

VL:

nucleus ventralis lateralis thalami

VPL:

nucleus ventralis posterior lateralis

VPL1:

lateral part of VPL

VPLm:

medial part of VPL

VPM:

nucleus ventralis posterior medialis

x:

cell group x

y:

cell group y

z:

cell group z

V:

nucleus motorius nerve trigemini

X:

nucleus dorsalis nerve vagi

XII:

nucleus nervi hypoglossi

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Anatomical Institute, University of Oslo, Karl Johansgt. 47, 1, Oslo, Norway

    E. Rinvik & F. Walberg

  2. Laboratory of Neurobiology, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

    N. Kotchabhakdi & K. Yingchareon

Authors
  1. N. Kotchabhakdi
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  2. E. Rinvik
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  3. F. Walberg
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  4. K. Yingchareon
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Kotchabhakdi, N., Rinvik, E., Walberg, F. et al. The vestibulothalamic projections in the cat studied by retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase. Exp Brain Res 40, 405–418 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236149

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236149

Key words

  • Vestibular complex
  • Thalamus
  • Horseradish peroxidase