Summary
The pattern of the nigrotectal projection in Galago crassicaudatus was determined using retrograde and anterograde transport methods. These experiments revealed that pars reticulata and pars lateralis of the substantia nigra project to all layers of the ipsilateral and contralateral superior colliculus, except to layer I. The nigrotectal projection is not homogeneous, but is concentrated in particular collicular layers and sublayers, and the intensity and laminar distribution of the projection varies along the rostral-caudal dimension of the superior colliculus. The ipsilateral and contralateral nigrotectal projections are generally similar, except that a tier of dense label which is prominent in the ventral part of much of the ipsilateral layer IV is not obvious contralaterally; moreover, the contralateral projection is much sparser than the ipsilateral. Deposits of tracers at different medial-lateral locations within the substantia nigra did not result in different laminar patterns of anterogradely transported label in the superior colliculus. Based on the known connections and functions of the collicular layers and sublayers, the pattern and distribution of the nigrotectal projection suggests that the substantia nigra may use this pathway to gain access to particular components of vision- and visuomotor-related networks.
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Abbreviations
- Cd:
-
Caudate
- CG:
-
Central gray
- CP:
-
Cerebral peduncle
- D:
-
Dorsal
- FEF:
-
Frontal eye field
- IC:
-
Internal capsule
- ICo:
-
Inferior colliculus
- IP:
-
Interpeduncular nucleus
- L:
-
Lateral
- LG:
-
Lateral geniculate
- MDmf:
-
Medial dorsal nucleus, pars multiformis
- MG:
-
Medial geniculate
- MI:
-
Mammillary body, lateral nucleus
- Mm:
-
Mammillary body, medial nucleus
- MRF:
-
Mesencephalic reticular formation
- nIII:
-
Oculomotor nerve
- OT:
-
Optic tract
- PG:
-
Pontine gray
- Pg:
-
Pregeniculate nucleus
- Pt:
-
Pretectal complex
- Pulv:
-
Pulvinar nuclei
- Put:
-
Putamen
- R:
-
Red nucleus rostral
- SCi,d:
-
Superior colliculus, intermediate and deep layers
- SCs:
-
Superior colliculus, superficial layers
- SEF:
-
Supplementary eye field
- SNc:
-
Substantia nigra, pars compacta
- SNr:
-
Substantia nigra, pars reticulata
- SNr, 1:
-
Substantia nigra, pars reticulata and pars lateralis
- St:
-
Subthalamic nucleus
- VAmc:
-
Ventral anterior nucleus, pars magnocellularis
- V Cort:
-
Visual cortical areas
- ZI:
-
Zona incerta
- II:
-
Layer II of the superior colliculus
- III:
-
Layer III of the superior colliculus
- IV:
-
Layer IV of the superior colliculus
- V:
-
Layer V of the superior colliculus
- VI:
-
Layer VI of the superior colliculus
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Huerta, M.F., Van Lieshout, D.P. & Harting, J.K. Nigrotectal projections in the primate Galago crassicaudatus . Exp Brain Res 87, 389–401 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00231856
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00231856