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The organization of the nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis in the cat in the light of experimental anatomical studies of its cerebral cortical afferents

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Summary

The distribution of degenerating fibres in the nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis (N.r.t.) has been examined in Nauta (1957) impregnated sections from cats with discrete lesions of various cortical regions. The following cortical regions send fibres to the N.r.t.: Ms I, Sm I, Sm II, the orbital gyrus, the proreate gyrus, the parietal cortex and parts of the medial surface of the frontal lobe. The projection is bilateral, but mainly ipsilateral. The main terminal area of fibres from all cortical regions mentioned is the ventral part of the N.r.t. at middle rostrocaudal levels. Within this territory most cortical regions have their particular terminal sites in the N.r.t., but there is considerable overlapping.

The anatomical organization and the role of the N.r.t. as a cerebrocerebellar relay station are discussed. The regions of the N.r.t. not receiving cortical fibres are supplied by fibres from other sources. These fibre groups have their preferential, although overlapping, areas of termination. In its organization the N.r.t. differs markedly from the pontine nuclei proper. Like the two other precerebellar reticular nuclei the N.r.t. appears to provide possibilities for an integration of impulses from the cerebral cortex with those from many other sources before they influence the cerebellum.

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  1. Anatomical Institute, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Alf Brodal & Per Brodal

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  1. Alf Brodal
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Brodal, A., Brodal, P. The organization of the nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis in the cat in the light of experimental anatomical studies of its cerebral cortical afferents. Exp Brain Res 13, 90–110 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236432

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236432

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