N. Mizuno

Electrophysiological studies on the cerebellocerebral projections in monkeys.

Summary1.Responses evoked by stimulation of the cerebellar and thalamic nuclei were recorded by microelectrodes introduced at various depths in the cerebral cortex of monkeys (Macaca mulatta) under light Nembutal anaesthesia.2.Stimulation of the medial (fastigial) cerebellar nucleus produced, at a latency of 4–5 msec, deep thalamo-cortical (T-C) responses (surface positivedeep negative potentials) mainly in the medial part of the precentral gyrus (area 4, “motor area for hindlimb”) and in the superior parietal gyrus (area 5) on both contralateral and ipsilateral sides to the nucleus stimulated.3.Stimulation of the lateral (dentate) cerebellar nucleus elicited, at a latency of about 3 msec, superficial T-C responses (surface negative-deep positive potentials) predominantly in the lateral part of the precentral gyrus (area 4, “motor area for forelimb and face”) and in the rostromedial part of the gyrus (area 6, premotor area) on the contralateral side.4.Stimulation of the interpositus cerebellar nucleus set up superficial T-C responses chiefly in the motor area between those influenced by the medial and the lateral cerebellar nucleus stimulation and also in the premotor area on the contralateral side.5.The respective areas responsive to the medial, interpositus and lateral nucleus stimulation overlapped considerably each other in the motor cortex.6.Comparison of the responses in the cortex induced by stimulation of the cerebellar and thalamic nuclei indicated different relay portions in and around the VA-VL region of the thalamus for the superficial and the deep T-C responses respectively.7.Functional implications of the results were discussed in referring to the cerebellocerebral projections in cats.

Topographic organization of collateral projections from the basolateral amygdaloid nucleus to both the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens in the rat

The basolateral amygdaloid nucleus, a limbic/autonomic center in the basal forebrain, has been known to send projection fibers to the prelimbic and dorsal agranular insular areas in the prefrontal cortex, as well as to the nucleus accumbens. In the present study, we investigated single basolateral amygdaloid nucleus neurons sending their axons to both the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. The fluorescent retrograde double-labeling technique was employed in the rat; True Blue was injected into the prelimbic or dorsal agranular insular cortex, and Diamidino Yellow into the medial or lateral part of the nucleus accumbens. The majority of basolateral amygdaloid nucleus neurons projecting to the dorsal agranular insular cortex or prelimbic cortex were located, respectively, in the rostral two-thirds or caudal two-thirds of the nucleus, while those projecting to the medial or lateral part of the nucleus accumbens were diffusely distributed in the nucleus. Almost 50% of basolateral amygdaloid nucleus neurons projecting to the prelimbic cortex sent their axon collaterals to the medial part of the nucleus accumbens. About 30-40% of basolateral amygdaloid nucleus neurons projecting to the dorsal agranular insular cortex or prelimbic cortex issued their axon collaterals to the lateral part of the nucleus accumbens. The axons bifurcating to both the dorsal agranular insular cortex and lateral part of the nucleus accumbens, those bifurcating to both the prelimbic cortex and lateral part of the nucleus accumbens, or those bifurcating to both the prelimbic cortex and medial part of the nucleus accumbens arose preferentially from the rostral, middle or caudal parts of the basolateral amygdaloid nucleus, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Electrophysiological studies on cerebello-cerebral projections in the cat

Summary1.Cerebello-cerebral projections were electrophysiologically investigated in cats under light Nembutal anaesthesia. Marked responses were produced by stimulation of the interpositus and the lateral nucleus of the cerebellum not only in the pericruciate but also in the suprasylvian cortical areas, both areas being contralateral to the cerebellar nuclei stimulated. Medial nucleus stimulation set up little or no response in the cerebral cortex.2.The previous electrophysiological study on thalamo-cortical (T-C) projections showed two different kinds of responses in the cortex due presumably to two different T-C projection systems, i. e., deep and superficial T-C responses (see Sasaki et al., 1970). According to laminar field potential analysis, the response in the pericruciate area is characterized by a deep T-C response which is often followed by a superficial T-C response, whereas the response in the parietal cortex consists of a pure superficial T-C response. Intracellular potential changes in cortical neurones elicited by cerebellar nucleus stimulation were consistent with the results of laminar field potential analysis.3.Comparison between laminar field potentials in the same cortex produced by thalamic and cerebellar nucleus stimulation suggests that the response in the pericruciate cortex is mediated by the ventral lateral nucleus and that the response in the parietal cortex is relayed by the ventral anterior nucleus of the thalamus.

Topographical arrangement of thalamocortical neurons in the centrolateral nucleus (CL) of the cat, with special reference to a spino-thalamo-motor cortical path through the CL

SummaryIn the centrolateral nucleus of the thalamus (CL) in the cat, a topographical arrangement of the thalamocortical projection neurons was demonstrated by utilizing retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Following injections of HRP into the medial or lateral areas of the anterior sigmoid gyrus (ASG), HRP-labeled neurons were located medially or laterally in the caudal levels of the CL, respectively; neurons in the central areas of the CL were labeled after injections of HRP into the rostral areas of the middle suprasylvian or the lateral gyrus.It was also shown by means of the combined HRP and Fink-Heimer method (Blomqvist and Westman, 1975) that the spinothalamic fibers terminated around CL neurons which were labeled with HRP injected into the lateral areas of the ASG. Hence, the caudolateral aspects of the CL were considered to represent a relay of the spino-thalamo-motor cortical paths.

Electrophysiological studies of the projections from the parietal association area to the cerebellar cortex

Summary1.Responses evoked in the cerebellar cortex by stimulation of the parietal association cortex (rostral portions of the middle suprasylvian gyrus) were recorded and analysed in cats, and were compared with those by stimulation of the motor cortex (anterior sigmoid gyrus).2.The parietal stimulation elicited early mossy fibre and late climbing fibre responses in the cerebellar cortex. The mossy fibre responses appeared at a latency of 2.0–2.5 msec and predominantly in the lateral (hemispherical) part of the contralateral cerebellum (mainly crus I, crus II and paramedian lobules). Cutting of the inferior cerebellar peduncle produced little or no influence upon the mossy fibre responses, which suggests that the mossy fibre responses are mediated chiefly by the pontine nuclei.3.The climbing fibre responses were recorded at a latency of 17–19 msec and markedly in the contralateral intermediate and medial parts of IV–VI lobules. The responses were easily suppressed by anaesthesia and depended on the conditions of experimental animals. The unstable appearance of the responses and their longer latencies than those of the climbing fibre responses due to stimulation of the motor cortex imply indirect pathways from the parietal association cortex to the inferior olive.4.The predominant projection of the parietal-induced mossy fibre responses to the lateral part of the cerebellum was compared with the mossy fibre projection from the motor cortex and was discussed as an important component in the cerebrocerebellar loops.

Distribution of thalamo-caudate neurons in the cat as demonstrated by horseradish peroxidase.

SummaryDistribution of thalamocaudate neurons in the cat was examined by means of the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) method. After injection of HRP into the head of the caudate nucleus (Cd), thalamic neurons labeled with HRP were observed mainly in the rhomboid nucleus (Rh), central medial nucleus (Ce), centre médian-parafascicular complex (CM-Pf) as well as in the midline and intralaminar regions surrounding the mediodorsal nucleus (MD). Distribution of HRP-labeled neurons in the centrolateral nucleus (CL) were localized in the medial parts of the nucleus. Many HRP-labeled neurons were also seen in the substantia nigra (SN) and retrorubral nucleus (Rr). Additionally, HRP-labeled neurons were found in the ventrolateral portions of the anteromedial nucleus (AM), lateral portions of the MD, ventral tegmental area of Tsai (vT) and the midline raphe nuclei, such as the rostral lineal (rL), central lineal (cL) and dorsal raphe (dR) nuclei.

On the cerebello-thalamo-cerebral pathway for the parietal cortex.

Summary1.The cerebello-thalamo-cerebral projection system mediating the cerebellar-induced “superficial thalamo-cortical (T-C) response” (the basic type of the so-called recruiting response) to the anterior part of the middle suprasylvian gyrus was investigated electrophysiologically. Responses of thalamic neurones to stimulation of the cerebral cortex and the cerebellar nucleus (medial, interpositus and lateral) were recorded by microelectrodes.2.In the anterior portions of the ventral thalamic nuclear complex, presumably in and/or around the ventral anterior (VA) nucleus, there were found neurones responding antidromically to stimulation of the suprasylvian cortex and orthodromically to that of the interpositus and the lateral nucleus of the cerebellum. They were called P neurones. The neurones responding antidromically to stimulation of the anterior sigmoid cortex and orthodromically to that of the cerebellar nuclei located mostly caudo ventrolateral to the place of P neurones, presumably in and/or around the ventral lateral (VL) nucleus. These were called F neurones.3.The cerebellar excitation of P neurones was estimated on its latency to be monosynaptic and was usually followed by an inhibition lasting for more than 100 msec. Large unitary EPSPs were sometimes noted in P neurones on cerebellar stimulation as well as spontaneously. It was concluded that P neurones constitute the direct T-C projection system mediating the superficial T-C response (e. g., recruiting response) to the parietal cortex.

Topographical projections from the posterior thalamic regions to the striatum in the cat, with reference to possible tecto-thalamo-striatal connections

SummaryProjections from the posterior thalamic regions to the striatum were studied in the cat by the anterograde tracing method after injecting wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate (WGA-HRP) into the caudalmost regions of the lateroposterior thalamic nucleus (caudal LP), suprageniculate nucleus (Sg) and magnocellular division of the medial geniculate nucleus (MGm). The results were further confirmed by the retrograde tracing method after injecting WGA-HRP into the regions of the caudate nucleus (Cd) and putamen (Put) where afferent fibers from the caudal LP, Sg and MGm were distributed. Fibers from the MGm, Sg or caudal LP were distributed mainly in the medial, middle or lateral part of the caudal half of the putamen (caudal Put), respectively. Although there was a considerable overlap, thalamostriatal fibers from the caudal LP terminated more caudally than those from the MGm. On the other hand, thalamocaudate fibers from the MGm, Sg and lateral part of the caudal LP overlapped with each other in the ventrolateral part of the caudal half of the caudate nucleus (caudal Cd). Fibers from the medial part of the caudal LP were distributed in the ventral part of the caudal Cd. In the superior colliculus (SC) of the cats with WGA-HRP injections in the caudal LP, retrogradely labeled neuronal cell bodies were mainly seen ipsilaterally in the superficial SC layer, and simultaneously, anterogradely labeled axon terminals were observed in the striatum. On the other hand, when WGA-HRP was injected into the Sg or MGm, labeled SC neurons were mainly located in the intermediate and deep SC layers. Thus, ascending impulses from the superficial SC layer may possibly be conveyed ipsilaterally via the caudal LP to the ventral and ventrolateral parts of the caudal Cd and the lateral part of the caudal Put, whereas those from the intermediate and deep SC layers may be relayed via the Sg and/or MGm to the ventrolateral part of the caudal Cd and the middle and medial parts of the caudal Put.

Influences of cerebellar hemispherectomy on slow potentials in the motor cortex preceding self-paced hand movements in the monkey

With chronically implanted electrodes, surface negative and deep positive, slowly increasing potentials were recorded in the forelimb area of the motor cortex prior to self-paced movements of the contralateral hand in monkeys. The slow premovement potentials were markedly reduced in size after ablation of the cerebellar hemisphere on the contralateral side to the motor cortex under recording. It was suggested that the cerebellar hemisphere (neocerebellum) participates in preparing the activity of the motor cortex prior to voluntary movements.

Projection of the cerebellar dentate nucleus onto the frontal association cortex in monkeys.

SummaryStimulation of the cerebellar dentate nucleus in monkeys elicited responses in the frontal association cortex (area 9) on the contralateral side to the stimulation, in addition to those in the motor (area 4) and premotor (area 6) cortices which were reported previously.The responses in the frontal association cortex were characterized by surface positive-deep negative field potentials in the cortex. They contrasted with surface negative-deep positive potentials in the motor and premotor cortices on the same dentate nucleus stimulation. In the rostral part of the premotor cortex (area 6) on the border of area 9, both types of responses were induced and admixed.The relay nucleus of the thalamus was suggested for the dentate-induced responses in the frontal association cortex.