Accordingly, the 'nucleus lentiformis' (which contains numerous NPY cells) corresponds to the nucleus of the optic tract, the 'nucleus sublentiformis' (containing a dense network of NPY fibres) to the posterior pretectal nucleus, and the 'nucleus of the pretectal area' corresponds to the medial pretectal nucleus. 
Notably, the PRC presents a projection pattern that resembles in many ways the pattern described previously for the rostral dorsolateral PAG in addition to projections to a number of targets that also are innervated by neighboring pretectal nuclei, including the rostrodorsomedial part of the lateral dorsal thalamic nucleus, the ventral part of the lateral geniculate complex, the medial pretectal nucleus, the nucleus of the posterior commissure, and the ventrolateral part of the subcuneiform reticular nucleus.
Injection of HRP into the unilateral vitreous body demonstrated that the terminal labeling of the optic projections was seen bilaterally in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCH), the ventral (GLv) and dorsal (GLd) lateral geniculate nuclei, the intergeniculate leaflet (IGL), the medial pretectal nucleus (NTOM) of the pretectum (PT) and the superficial layer of the superior colliculus (CS), with contralateral predominance, and only contralaterally labeled terminals were found in the lateroposterior thalamic nucleus (LP), the lateral pretectal nucleus (NTOL) of the PT, the dorsal (DTN) and medial (MTN) terminal nuclei of the accessory optic system (AOS).
Four nuclei of the pretectal complex, the olivary pretectal nucleus, the medial pretectal nucleus, the nucleus of the optic tract and the posterior pretectal nucleus, all have a demonstrated role in visual function.
These areas were the substantia gelatinosa of the spinal cord dorsal horn; the solitary tract; the nucleus of the solitary tract, visceral portion; the area postrema; the trigeminal nerve and spinal trigeminal nucleus; the medial nucleus of the inferior olive; the rostral, dorsomedial and dorsolateral interpeduncular subnuclei and overlying interfascicular nucleus; the supramammillary area; the lateral septal nucleus; the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, anterior medial portion; the optic nerve and tract; the suprachiasmatic nucleus, ventroposterolateral portion; the magnocellular subnucleus of the ventrolateral geniculate nucleus; the intergeniculate leaf; the medial pretectal nucleus and the olivary pretectal nucleus.
Pretectal neurons were HRP-labeled primarily in the contralateral medial pretectal nucleus with a smaller number in the ipsilateral posterior pretectal nucleus.
Dense binding was observed in the following areas: prefrontal cortex, the anterior nuclei of the olfactory bulb, several nuclei of the amygdaloid complex, the dorsal septal area, dorsal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, the ventral pallidum, the internal medullary laminae of the thalamus, medial pretectal nucleus, nucleus of the medial optic tract, borderline area of the caudal spinal trigeminal nucleus adjacent to the spinal trigeminal tract, the substantia gelatinosa and the superficial layers of the dorsal spinal cord.
fu (posterior part of the bank), fundus of the presylvian sulcus (area 6a beta), medial part of the nucleus lateralis posterior of thalamus and nucleus centralis dorsalis ipsilaterally, and in the entopeduncular nucleus (EPN) and medial pretectal nucleus bilaterally. After HRP injections into the ventral medial nucleus (VM), major labeled neurons were observed in the gyrus proreus, area 6a beta (mainly in the medial bank of the presylvian sulcus), and EPN ipsilaterally, and in the medial pretectal nucleus and substantia nigra bilaterally.
By embryonic day 56, five distinct bilateral fields of retinal fiber termination are apparent within the following regions: (i) the nucleus of the optic tract; (ii) the pretectal olivary nucleus; (iii) the posterior pretectal nucleus; (iv) the anterior pretectal nucleus; and (v) the medial pretectal nucleus.
However, no such labeling was observed in the medial pretectal nucleus (NPM) considered to be the site of origin of the rat centrifugal visual pathway.
Injections in LD result in retrogradely labeled neurons in all nuclei of the pretectal complex, including the nucleus of the optic tract (NTO), the posterior pretectal nucleus (NPP), the anterior pretectal nucleus (NPA), the pretectal olivary nucleus (NOL), and the medial pretectal nucleus (NPM).
Among several pretectal nuclei, the posterior pretectal, the medial pretectal nucleus and the reticular part of the anterior pretectal nucleus receive the cerebellar afferents.
The anterograde autoradiographic tracing technique was used to demonstrate a projection from the retina to the medial pretectal nucleus in the domestic cat and the squirrel monkey.
Labeled pretectal neurons were found throughout all pretectal nuclei; the densest concentrations were in the medial pretectal nucleus, the anterior pretectal nucleus and the nucleus of the posterior commissure.
Following a neonatal DOC lesion a denser projection from the remaining ipsilateral SMC was seen in the medial pretectal nucleus (PTM), PT and deep pretectal nucleus (PTP).
-
[ View All ]
