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Sensory inputs to the nucleus basalis prosencephali, a feeding-pecking centre in the pigeon

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Summary

Evoked potentials were recorded from the nucleus basalis prosencephali (Bas) of the pigeon through chronically implanted electrodes. The auditory sensitivity of the Bas was assessed by the amplitude of the potentials. Audiograms thus obtained were comparable to those similarly measured from stations of the orthodox auditory pathway and resembled those obtained by others with behavioural techniques from the same species. The sensitivity to vibration applied to the beak was also measured. The vibrogram revealed two separate optima, one located in the lower frequency and another in the higher frequency region. These were shown to be due to trigeminal mechanoreceptive sensitivity and to bone/cochlea mediated sound sensitivity, respectively. Evoked potentials of the Bas in response to vestibular stimulation are described for the first time. The possibility that they were artefacts was excluded with several control procedures. These findings confirm recent anatomical evidence of a direct pathway from the vestibular nucleus to the nucleus basalis prosencephali. All afferents to the Bas are discussed in conjunction with the probable function of the nucleus as a sensorimotor coordinator of the pigeon's pecking/feeding behaviour.

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Abbreviations

A :

archistriatum

aL :

area L of the medial neostriatum caudale

Bas :

nucleus basalis prosencephali

Cb :

cerebellum

FA :

tractus fronto-archistriatalis

HA :

hyperstriatum accessorium

Hp :

hippocampus

HRP :

horseradish peroxidase

HV :

hyperstriatum ventrale

LLv :

nucleus lemnisci lateralis, pars ventralis

LPO :

lobus parolfactorius

MV :

nucleus motorius nervi trigemini

MLd :

nucleus mesencephalicus lateralis, pars dorsalis

nVI :

nucleus nervi facialis

nVIII :

nervus vestibulocochlearis

N :

neostriatum

NFL :

neostriatum frontolaterale

OM :

tractus occipitomesencephalicus

Ov :

nucleus ovoidalis

PrV :

nucleus sensorius principalis nervi trigemini

QF :

tractus quintofrontalis

Rpv :

nucleus reticularis parvocellularis, pars lateralis

TrO :

tractus opticus

VS :

nucleus vestibularis superior

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Experimentelle Tierpsychologie, Psychologisches Institut, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, D-4630, Bochum, Federal Republic of Germany

    Ulrich Schall & Juan D. Delius

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  1. Ulrich Schall
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  2. Juan D. Delius
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Schall, U., Delius, J.D. Sensory inputs to the nucleus basalis prosencephali, a feeding-pecking centre in the pigeon. J. Comp. Physiol. 159, 33–41 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00612493

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