Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “THALAMUS”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Properties of primary sensory (lemniscal) synapses in the ventrobasal thalamus and the relay of high-frequency sensory inputs.

The main role of the thalamus is to relay sensory inputs to the neocortex. In the primary somatosensory thalamus (ventrobasal thalamus), sensory inputs deliver tactile information through the medial lemniscus tract. The transmission of sensory information through this pathway is affected by behavioral state. For instance, the relay of high-frequency somatosensory inputs through the thalamus is suppressed during anesthesia or quiescent states but allowed during behaviorally activated states. This change may be due to the effects of modulators on the efficacy of lemniscal synapses. Here I show that lemniscal synapses of adult rodents studied in vitro produce large amplitude-highly secure unitary excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs), which depress in response to repetitive stimulation at frequencies >2 Hz. Acetylcholine and norepinephrine, which are important thalamic modulators, have no effect on the efficacy of lemniscal EPSPs but reduce evoked inhibitory postsynaptic potentials and corticothalamic EPSPs. Although acetylcholine and norepinephrine do not affect lemniscal synapses, the postsynaptic depolarization they produce on thalamocortical neurons serves to warrant the relay of lemniscal inputs at high-frequency rates by bringing the depressed lemniscal EPSPs close to firing threshold. In conclusion, acetylcholine and norepinephrine released during activated states selectively enhance sensory transmission through the lemniscal pathway by depolarizing thalamocortical neurons and simultaneously depressing the other afferent pathways.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1985

T2-T5 spinothalamic neurons projecting to medial thalamus with viscerosomatic input.

Spinothalamic tract neurons projecting to medial thalamus (M-STT cells), ventral posterior lateral nucleus (VPL) of the thalamus (L-STT cells), or both thalamic regions (LM-STT cells) were studied in 19 monkeys anesthetized with alpha-chloralose. Twenty-seven M-STT cells were antidromically activated from nucleus centralis lateralis, nucleus centrum medianum, or the medial dorsal nucleus. Stimulation of VPL elicited antidromic responses from 22 cells and 13 cells were activated from both VPL and medial thalamus. Antidromic conduction velocities of M-STT cells were significantly slower than those of L-STT or LM-STT cells. M-STT cells were located in laminae I, IV, V, and VII with greater numbers found in the deepest laminae. L-STT cells were located mostly in lamina IV, whereas most LM-STT cells were found in lamina V. Twenty-four of 27 M-STT cells, all L-STT cells, and all LM-STT cells received input from both cardiopulmonary sympathetic and somatic afferent fibers. WDR cells were most common among the L-STT and LM-STT groups, whereas HT cells were the most common class in the M-STT cell group. Excitatory receptive fields of M-STT cells were large, and often bilateral. Receptive fields of L-STT cells were simple and never bilateral. Receptive fields of LM-STT cells could be similar to M-STT or L-STT cells. Thirty-three percent of the M-STT cells, 37% of the L-STT cells, and 62% of the LM-STT cells had inhibitory receptive fields. Inhibition was elicited most often by a noxious pinch of the hindlimbs. Sixteen of 23 (70%) M-STT cells received C-fiber cardiopulmonary sympathetic input in addition to A-delta-fiber input. The other 7 cells received only A-delta-fiber input. Only 45% of the L-STT cells and 38% of the LM-STT cells received both A-delta- and C-fiber inputs. The maximum number of spikes elicited by A-delta-input was related to segmental locations for L-STT cells with greatest responses in T2 and lesser responses in more caudal segments; however, no such trend was apparent for M-STT cells or for responses to C-fiber input for either group. Electrical stimulation of the left thoracic vagus nerve inhibited 7 of 18 M-STT cells, 10 of 16 L-STT cells, and 6 of 12 LM-STT cells. These results are the first description of visceral input to cells projecting to medial thalamus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Nucleus Z: a somatosensory relay to motor thalamus.

1. It was the aim of this study to show that nucleus Z of the cat medulla acts as a relay between the spinal cord and the ventral lateral (VL) nucleus of the motor thalamus. For this purpose, extracellular recordings were made from neurons that were antidromically identified by stimulation in the rostral thalamus, particularly VL, and orthodromically activated by electrical stimulation of the spinal cord and/or natural stimulation of the hindlimb. The electrophysiological work was complemented by anatomic work. Here, wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) was injected into nucleus Z and the termination sites of bulbothalamic projections were anterogradely labeled. 2. A total of 120 neurons were antidromically identified as projecting to thalamus: 101 to VL and 19 outside VL. The recording sites in nucleus Z were marked by dye injection or by electrolytic lesion. They were confined to a small region (roughly 1 mm in diameter), 2.8-3.7 mm rostral to obex, 2.9-3.8 mm lateral from the midline, and from the surface of the medulla to a depth of 1 mm. The antidromic latencies ranged between 0.8 and 3.2 ms, with no difference in latencies associated with location of neurons in nucleus Z or thalamic projection sites. 3. Injection of WGA-HRP labeled fibers and axon terminals in the contralateral thalamus. Terminal labeling was densest in the lateral parts of the mid- and caudal region of the VL nucleus and, to a lesser extent, in the adjacent rostrodorsal part of the ventro-posterior lateral (VPL) nucleus. The sites of terminal labeling in VL corresponded with location of antidromic stimulation sites. 4. Orthodromic activation of nucleus Z neurons was tested in response to electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral dorsolateral funiculus (which includes the dorsal spinocerebellar tract) and/or the dorsal columns. All neurons responded to stimulation of the dorsolateral funiculus (45/45). The responsiveness of 44 neurons was tested to stimulation of the dorsal columns. Only 8 of 44 tested responded with a discharge. The orthodromic latencies of unitary discharges ranged from 1.1 to 4.4 ms to stimulation of the dorsolateral funiculus, and from 1.1 to 4.9 ms to stimulation of the dorsal columns. Most responses are likely to be monosynaptic. Differences in latencies were not associated with location of recording sites or thalamic projection sites of nucleus Z neurons. 5. The responsiveness of many neurons (n = 84) was tested to natural stimulation of the ipsilateral hindlimb (which provides the sensory input to nucleus Z).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Microstimulation of primate motor thalamus: somatotopic organization and differential distribution of evoked motor responses among subnuclei.

1. The functional organization of motor responses to microstimulation throughout the primate "motor" thalamus including nucleus ventralis lateralis, pars oralis (VLo); nucleus ventralis posterior lateralis, pars oralis (VPLo); nucleus ventralis lateralis, pars caudalis (VLc); and portions of ventralis anterior (VA) and area X, was systematically studied in awake monkeys. A total of 2,021 sites were examined for their response to microstimulation. Of these, 1,123 were histologically verified as to their location within the motor thalamus. At or near each site, isolated neurons were examined for their responses to somatosensory examination and active movement (n = 1,272). This study was carried out as part of a larger study examining the responses of neurons in the motor thalamus to somatosensory examination, torque-induced limb perturbations, and active movement in a visuomotor step-tracking task. 2. Microstimulation at < or = 40 microA evoked movements in the contralateral limbs, trunk, or face. Evoked movements of the limb were generally maximal about a single joint. 3. There was a differential response to microstimulation between subnuclei of the motor thalamus. In order of decreasing frequency, the percentages of sites within each subnucleus from which movements were evoked were as follows: VPLo, 93% (449 of 483); VLo, 21% (57 of 272); VLc, 11% (15 of 140); VA, 1% (1 of 85); and reticular nucleus, 0% (0 of 65). In VPLc, 44% (34 of 78) of sites examined were microexcitable. However, these were almost all within 500 microns of the border of VPLo, suggesting they may have occurred as a result of current spread to adjacent VPLo. Although area X was not sampled in its entirety, it did not appear to be microexcitable. 4. Microexcitable responses had a somatotopic organization, similar to that for neuronal responses to sensorimotor examination, with leg responses found most laterally and arm and face responses found progressively more medially. 5. Zones in VPLo generally ranging from 500 to 1,500 microns were found in which microstimulation resulted in the same motor response. These microexcitable zones resemble those described for the striatum and were termed thalamic microexcitable zones (TMZ). TMZs also resemble cortical efferent zones in that both are somatotopically organized, may affect a single muscle or group of muscles, have low thresholds for microstimulation with sharp boundaries that lie adjacent to other microexcitable zones with the opposite effects, and are of approximately the same dimension. 6. This study suggest that a fundamental unit of motor organization, i.e., single muscle or joint, is preserved at the thalamic level in the form of TMZs, and that these fundamental units of organization may contribute to the modular organization of the cortex.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Architectonics of the thalamus in the echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus): search for the mediodorsal nucleus.

Architectural characteristics of the thalamus in echidnas and rats were compared in sections stained to reveal cell bodies, myelin, acetylcholinesterase, succinate dehydrogenase and cytochrome oxidase. Numerous species differences were noticed: in general, the thalamus is architecturally more homogeneous in echidnas than in rats, especially anteriorly. In this report we emphasize the presence of a relatively large structure localized in the anteromediodorsal part of the thalamus in echidnas. This structure, previously shown to project to the frontal cortex, contains very small amounts of acetylcholinesterase and the oxidative enzymes; in this respect it resembles the mediodorsal nucleus of rats. The same properties make this formation different from the anterodorsal and anteroventral nuclei in rats, the equivalents of which could not be identified in echidnas. The anteromediodorsal region of the thalamus in echidnas consists chiefly of two cytoarchitecturally different regions: the medial, 'polymorphic' part contains relatively small, densely packed, multiform perikarya, whereas the lateral, 'monomorphic' part is characterised by larger, sparse neurons with little cytoplasm and round, large, empty-looking nuclei in which the nucleolus is clearly seen. We conclude tentatively that this brain structure of echidnas corresponds to the mediodorsal nucleus in placental species. Further studies of connections and chemical properties will be essential to determine the degree of correspondence of the presumed 'frontal lobe system' in echidnas to that in other mammals.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Elevated neuron number in the limbic thalamus in major depression.

OBJECTIVE: The mediodorsal and anteroventral/anteromedial nuclei of the thalamus are brain regions of interest in the study of mood disorders because they connect subcortical limbic system structures such as the amygdala with the prefrontal, cingulate, and temporal cortices. Anatomical abnormalities have been observed both in the amygdala and in the aforementioned cortical regions in affective disorder patients. Neuroanatomical studies of the thalamus have rarely been conducted in patients with mood disorders. METHOD: Postmortem tissue from the Stanley Foundation Brain Bank was obtained from subjects diagnosed with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia as well as a nonpsychiatric comparison group (N=10-13 per group). The optical disector stereological procedure was used to count neurons in the mediodorsal and anteroventral/anteromedial nuclei of the thalamus in each brain. RESULTS: There were significantly more neurons in the mediodorsal (37%) and anteroventral/anteromedial (26%) nuclei in subjects with major depressive disorder relative to the nonpsychiatric comparison subjects. Neuron numbers and volumes in these limbic thalamic nuclei were normal in the schizophrenia and bipolar subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that there is an elevation in total neuron number in the limbic thalamus that is specific for major depressive disorder. This represents the first report of a neuropsychiatric disorder being associated with an increase in total regional neuron number. The present findings, along with recent data, indicate that significant anatomical and functional abnormalities are present in limbic circuits in major depressive disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Long-term deep brain stimulation in a patient with essential tremor: clinical response and postmortem correlation with stimulator termination sites in ventral thalamus. Case report.

Essential tremor can be suppressed with chronic, bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventralis intermedius nucleus (Vim), the cerebellar receiving area of the motor thalamus. The goal in this study was to correlate the location of the electrodes with the clinical efficacy of DBS in a patient with essential tremor. The authors report on a woman with essential tremor in whom chronic bilateral DBS directed to the ventral thalamus produced adequate tremor suppression until her death from unrelated causes 16 months after placement of the electrodes. Neuropathological postmortem studies of the brain in this patient demonstrated that both stimulators terminated in the Vim region of the thalamus, and that chronic DBS elicited minor reactive changes confined to the immediate vicinity of the electrode tracks. Although the authors could not identify neuropathological abnormalities specific to essential tremor, they believe that suppression of essential tremor by chronic DBS correlates with bilateral termination of the stimulators in the Vim region of the thalamus.

Brain Mapping↗
PubMed2006

Three-tesla magnetic resonance imaging of the ventrolateral thalamus: a correlative anatomical description.

OBJECT: Surgery for tremor targets the ventrolateral nuclei of the thalamus. An initial radiological estimation of this target can be further refined through intraoperative physiological confirmation. Direct visualization of these nuclei has not yet been described. The improved signal-to-noise ratio associated with 3-tesla (3T) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging makes increased spatial resolution possible, which may aid in the identification of subtle morphological features. This study was conducted to describe the anatomy of the nuclei and fiber projections within the ventral thalamus by using 3T MR imaging. METHODS: Using a commercially available 3T MR unit, the authors obtained images of a formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded brain. Slices with a 2-mm thickness and 0.2-mm gap were obtained parallel to the anterior commissure-posterior commissure (AC-PC) line. The brain was then sectioned through the cerebral hemispheres to obtain tissue slices encompassing the same levels. Adjacent 10-microm paraffin sections from the middle of each level were stained with Luxol fast blue and cresyl violet. The MR image and histological sections at the level of the AC-PC line were then compared in detail. In a separate study, the human thalamus was scanned in vivo using 3T and 1.5T MR imaging for anatomical comparison. CONCLUSIONS: The anatomy of the nuclei and fiber projections within the ventrolateral thalamus in humans can be described using 3T MR imaging. The findings were reproducible in vivo with 3T but not 1.5T MR imaging. Additional studies are needed to confirm the accuracy of this observation for clinical purposes.

Artifacts↗
PubMed1990

Dopamine and acetylcholine release in thalamus of non-parkinsonian and parkinsonian subjects.

A study of neurotransmitter release has been performed on human brain biopsies obtained during the course of a therapeutic neurosurgical procedure. The electrically evoked-release of 3H-dopamine and 3H-acetylcholine was studied on slices from the thalamus of two parkinsonian and two non-parkinsonian subjects. Electrical stimulation of the non-parkinsonian thalamus increased the dopamine release but had no effect on acetylcholine release. This characteristic response had been previously observed in the normal rat thalamus. In contrast, the parkinsonian thalamus responded with a sharp increase in acetylcholine release without concomitant increase in dopamine release indicating the possible existence of an inhibitory control effect action of dopamine on acetylcholine release as seen in rat striatum.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1978

Nociceptive responses of neurons in the posterior group of nuclei and medial thalamus.

Anatomical studies have shown that fibers of the spinothalamic tract terminate in both the posterior group of nuclei (PO) and the nuclei of the medial thalamus. Only the PO receives fiber terminations from the spinocervicothalamic and dorsal column-medial lemniscal projections. This difference in connectively is reflected in the functional differences between the neurons in the PO and those in the medial thalamus. Although both PO and medial thalamus contain a large proportion of nociceptive neurons, only the PO contains neurons that have "lemniscal" response properties. Lesion studies have demonstrated the importance of the spinothalamic tract in mediating A and C fiber input to nociceptive neurons in the PO and medial thalamus. These studies showed that the nociceptive neurons in PO also receive A fiber input from the dorsal column-medial lemniscal projection and A and C fiber input from the spinocervicothalamic projection.

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed2005

A chromatographic method for baicalin quantification in rat thalamus.

A rapid reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (rp-HPLC) assay for the determination of baicalin in rat thalamus was developed. This was carried out on a Hypersil -C(18) column using 4-nitro-benzoic acid as the internal standard with a mobile phase of methanol-water-H(3)PO(4) (45:55:0.2, v/v/v). Detection was by UV at 277 nm. The calibration curve for baicalin was linear (r=0.9992) over the concentration range of 0.05--4.0 microg/mL and the limit of detection was 10 ng/mL. The coefficients of variation of intra- and inter-day assays were 2.64, 5.19 and 3.19% and 3.46, 6.21 and 5.58% at concentrations of 0.5, 1.0 and 3.0 microg/mL, respectively. The recoveries of baicalin from rat thalamus were 85.4+/- 5.62, 90.7+/- 2.43 and 89.1+/- 4.75% at concentrations of 0.5, 1.0 and 3.0 microg/mL, respectively. The method was applied to determine the time course of baicalin in rat thalamus, following a single dosage of intravenous administration of Scutellariae radix extract at 90 mg/kg of baicalin to male Wistar rats.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Reevaluation of the primary motor cortex connections with the thalamus in primates.

Six injections (approximately 1 mm in diameter) of biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) were placed in different locations of the primary motor cortex of the rhesus monkey. Anterograde and retrograde labeling patterns in the thalamus were charted and individual labeled axons traced in continuous serial sections. Both anterograde and retrograde labeling in the thalamus was extensive, spanning several millimeters mediolaterally and including ventral lateral, ventral anterior, centromedian, and centrolateral nuclei. Paracentral, mediodorsal, lateral posterior, and medial pulvinar nuclei were also labeled. Two basic types of corticothalamic axons were identified: small to medium-width, type 1 axons that formed large terminal fields with small boutons, and thick, type 2 axons that formed small terminal fields with large boutons. Within each group, subtypes were identified based on specific features of the axons and terminals: two subtypes of type 1 axons and four subtypes of type 2 axons. The results revealed multiple modes of corticothalamic connectivity: sparsely distributed type 1 axons, dense plexuses of type 1 axons, type 2 axon terminal fields either singly or in clusters, and mixed plexuses of type 1 and type 2 axons. Only some cells in the plexuses were retrogradely labeled; some plexuses did not contain any labeled neurons, and many retrogradely labeled neurons were in the regions devoid of anterograde labeling. These connectivity patterns differed between thalamic nuclei. The results revealed much more complex relationships between M1 and thalamus than were previously thought to exist. It is suggested that this connectivity is neither of exclusively a feedback nature nor perfectly reciprocal but is subserved by a multitude of channels, most likely originating from different populations of cortical neurons, and feeding into a variety of functionally different neuronal networks, with each processing specific information.

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed2001

Organisation and maturation of the human thalamus as revealed by CD15.

The distribution of the CD15 antigen (CD15, 3-fucosyl-N-acetyl-lactosamine, Lewis x) has been studied immunohistochemically in the fetal human thalamus. Its changing patterns could be related to three successive, but overlapping, periods primarily due to its association with radial glial cells, neuropil, and neural cell bodies, respectively. From 9 weeks of gestation (wg), a subset of CD15-positive radial glial cells distinguished the neuroepithelium of the ventral thalamus, a characteristic also seen in the developing mouse. Distal processes of the radial glial cells converged at the root of the forebrain choroid tenia, which was also CD15 positive. From 13 wg until approximately 20 wg, CD15-positive neuropil labeling marked the differentiation areas of prospective nuclei within the dorsal thalamus and progressively outlined their territories in a time sequence, which appeared specific for each nucleus. CD15 labeling of differentiating nuclei of the ventral, medial, anterior, and intralaminar thalamic divisions showed a transient topographic relationship with restricted areas of the ventricular wall. After 26 wg, CD15 immunoreactivity was observed in subpopulations of glial cells and neurons. Transient CD15 immunoreactivity was also found in delimited compartments within the subventricular region. The time of CD15 expression, its location, and cellular association suggest that CD15 is involved in segmentation of diencephalon, in the specification of differentiating nuclear areas and initial processes regarding the formation of intercellular contacts and cellular maturation.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed2006

Compensatory alteration of inhibitory synaptic circuits in cerebellum and thalamus of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor alpha1 subunit knockout mice.

Targeted deletion of the alpha1 subunit gene results in a profound loss of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA(A)) receptors in adult mouse brain but has only moderate behavioral consequences. Mutant mice exhibit several adaptations in GABA(A) receptor subunit expression, as measured by Western blotting. By using immunohistochemistry, we investigated here whether these adaptations serve to replace the missing alpha1 subunit or represent compensatory changes in neurons that normally express these subunits. We focused on cerebellum and thalamus and distinguished postsynaptic GABA(A) receptor clusters by their colocalization with gephyrin. In the molecular layer of the cerebellum, alpha1 subunit clusters colocalized with gephyrin disappeared from Purkinje cell dendrites of mutant mice, whereas alpha3 subunit/gephyrin clusters, presumably located on dendrites of Golgi interneurons, increased sevenfold, suggesting profound network reorganization in the absence of the alpha1 subunit. In thalamus, a prominent increase in alpha3 and alpha4 subunit immunoreactivity was evident, but without change in regional distribution. In the ventrobasal complex, which contains primarily postsynaptic alpha1- and extrasynaptic alpha4-GABA(A) receptors, the loss of alpha1 subunit was accompanied by disruption of gamma2 subunit and gephyrin clustering, in spite of the increased alpha4 subunit expression. However, in the reticular nucleus, which lacks alpha1-GABA(A) receptors in wild-type mice, postsynaptic alpha3/gamma2/gephyrin clusters were unaffected. These results demonstrate that adaptive responses in the brain of alpha1(0/0) mice involve reorganization of GABAergic circuits and not merely replacement of the missing alpha1 subunit by another receptor subtype. In addition, clustering of gephyrin at synaptic sites in cerebellum and thalamus appears to be dependent on expression of a GABA(A) receptor subtype localized postsynaptically.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

The distribution of neurons projecting from the retina and visual cortex to the thalamus and tectum opticum of the barn owl, Tyto alba, and the burrowing owl, Speotyto cunicularia.

Using the HRP retrograde transport technique in two different genera of owls (Speotyto and Tyto), we have studied the distribution of neurons projecting to the optic tectum and the visual thalamus. Small injections of HRP were made into these structures from the pial surface after they had been visualized directly by dissection of the overlying bone. In contrast to the findings in mammals, retinal ganglion cells were labeled only in the eye contralateral to the injection site, whether this was in the thalamus or tectum, and the labeled ganglion cells were found on both nasal and temporal sides of the vertical retinal meridian through the fovea. After thalamic injections, labeling was prominent in temporal retina representing the binocular field, temporal to the optic nerve head. Retinothalamic ganglion cells formed roughly concentric lines of isodensity centered on the fovea (Speotyto) or area centralis (Tyto); labeling from thalamic injections involved both large and medium-sized neurons, but did not involve the smallest nor a conspicuous class of very large neurons. Tectal injections led to prominent labeling along the horizontal streak region, with horizontally elongated isodensity contours in both Tyto and Speotyto; retinotectal ganglion cells were heterogeneous and included a group of very large neurons and anther group of small neurons, neither of which was labeled from the thalamus. In the visual Wulst, labeled neurons were confined to the supragranular layers after both tectal and thalamic injections. Corticotectal neurons were found in both ipsilateral and contralateral visual Wulst. They were characterized by large cell bodies and prominent dendrites. Corticotectal neurons were distributed throughout the mediolateral extent of the ipsilateral Wulst and therefore involved both the monocular and binocular representations of the visual field. Corticothalamic neurons, found only in the ipsilateral Wulst, were characterized by smaller cell bodies and fine dendrites. They were confined to the monocular crescent on the extreme medial edge of the World.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

The retinal projection to the thalamus in the cat: a quantitative investigation and a comparison with the retinotectal pathway.

The projection of cat retinal ganglion cells to the thalamus was examined using the method of retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). After the injection site was determined physiologically, HRP was applied by one of three methods: iontophoretic injection of minimal amounts, single pressure injections and multiple pressure injections. Iontophoretic injections into single laminae of the dorsal part of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNd) revealed that laminae A and A1 receive almost exclusively axon terminals from alpha and beta cells. Single pressure injections elucidated the retinotopic organization of the LGNd. Multiple injections lead to HRP uptake in the whole LGNd including parts of adjacent thalamic nuclei and revealed that at least 77% of all retinal ganglion cells project to the thalamus. This pathway is made up of all alpha cells, all beta cells and almost half of the gamma cells. The thalamus receives its visual input predominantly from the ipsilateral temporal and the contralateral nasal retina; some alpha cells were also labeled in the contralateral temporal retina. The shape of the decussation line was analyzed and its width was found to be proportional to the average ganglion cell spacing along the dorsoventral axis of the retina. From a comparison of the retinothalamic and retinotectal pathways, an estimate of the number of cells with bifurcating axons could be given. The axons of all alpha cells, 10% of the beta cells, and every second gamma cell bifurcate; this amounts to 30% of the retinal ganglion cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Axonal trajectories between mouse somatosensory thalamus and cortex.

An in vitro brain slice preparation has been used to label fibers connecting the somatosensory thalamus and cortex of the mouse. In 400-800-micron brain slices, the pathway between the ventrobasal complex and somatosensory cortex was labeled under direct vision with horseradish peroxidase crystals (HRP), HRP-Nonidet P-40 (NP40) detergent chips, or a solution of HRP/dimethylsulfoxide. Thalamocortical and corticofugal fibers are organized into a plexiform system of bundles that appears to be fairly constant from animal to animal. Bundles of fibers projecting from the ventrobasal complex course between regularly spaced groups of thalamic neurons. Thalamocortical axons do not invariably leave the thalamus via the fiber bundle closest to the perikarya. Thus, nearest-neighbor relationships are abolished before these axons have even left the thalamus. The axon bundles traverse the thalamic reticular nucleus lateral to the complex. The axons then rotate about one another, analogous to the coiling of strands in rope about a central axis. This accounts for the well known 180 degrees rotation in the mediolateral direction between thalamic and cortical maps. Laterally, fiber bundles converge and diverge within the internal capsule so that nearest-neighbor relationships are lost. Individual thalamocortical axons do not bifurcate proximal to the subcortical white matter. After single bundles of fibers reach a point just below the subcortical white matter, their individual fibers diverge widely. Within the subcortical white matter most afferent fibers make a small dorsally concave loop prior to taking one of two possible courses: some of the fibers ascend directly into the overlying cortex usually angled towards the dorsal surface of the brain; other fibers run in the subcortical white matter for variable distances prior to ascending into cortex. Within somatosensory cortex, smooth axons branch near their terminals in layers IV and VI. Axonal terminal and branching patterns of these axons within somatosensory cortex are similar to those found in in vivo preparations. Most axons are smooth, but other axons are beaded. Some beaded axons project to layer I. Corticofugal fibers are labeled. Fibers leaving somatosensory cortex have an angle of descent opposite to the angle of ascent for afferent fibers, and are often fasciculated in the cortex and subcortical white matter. Within the subcortical white matter efferent fibers often loop in a direction opposite to that of afferent fibers. Corticofugal fibers occasionally give off a collateral corticostriatal branch within the internal capsule.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed1988

Medullary sources of projections to the kinesthetic thalamus in raccoons: external and basal cuneate nuclei and cell groups x and z.

In raccoons and other mammals, a pathway for kinesthetic sensation (from muscles, fascia, tendons, and joints) reaches the anterodorsal cap of the ventrobasal thalamus and the anteriormost part of the somatic sensory cerebral cortex. To find the medullary component of this kinesthetic pathway in raccoons, small injections of horseradish peroxidase were made in the thalamus under guidance of simultaneous electrophysiological recording from kinesthetic projections. As determined by retrograde labeling following these injections, kinesthetic thalamic subregions receive projections as follows: caudomedial from cells in the external cuneate nucleus and its medial tongue, rostromedial from cells in basal cuneate nucleus, and rostrolateral from cells in cell group z and the reticular division of cell group x. Electrophysiological recording showed kinesthetic representations in each of these medullary regions. Labeled cells were also observed in the infratrigeminal subnucleus of the lateral reticular nucleus. Cats have kinesthetic projections to the thalamus from the basal cuneate and cell group z; raccoons (and monkeys) have these plus projections from the external cuneate and cell group x. This suggests that the kinesthetic projection system in raccoons and monkeys is expanded in correlation with their more dextrous use of the hand.

Afferent Pathways↗