Brachium Of Inferior Colliculus


A discrete group of ChAT-IR cells is located in the sagulum, and additional cells are scattered in the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

This review summarizes findings that support the above assumption, and focus on the functional involvement of the periaqueductal gray, the paralemniscal area, and the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, in differentiated vocal control..  

At subcortical levels, we observed a similar correspondence of retrogradely labeled cells and anterogradely labeled axons and terminals in visual (posterior limitans thalamic nucleus) and multisensory thalamic nuclei (dorsal and medial division of the medial geniculate body, suprageniculate nucleus, posterior thalamic cell group, zona incerta), and in the multisensory nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

This entry zone is bordered caudally by the intramesencephalic path of the trochlear, laterally by the spinothalamic tract, and rostrally by the caudal margin of the brachium of the superior colliculus.  

The highest density of immunoreactive fibers was found in the motor trigeminal nucleus, the laminar and alaminar spinal trigeminal nuclei, the facial nucleus, the marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum, the locus coeruleus, the cuneiform nucleus, the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, the postpyramidal nucleus of the raphe, the lateral tegmental field, the Kölliker-Fuse nucleus, the inferior central nucleus, the periaqueductal gray, the nucleus of the solitary tract, and in the inferior vestibular nucleus.  

toward the brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

We have studied the postnatal development of the projection to the ferret SC from the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus (nBIC), its main source of auditory input, to determine whether the emergence of auditory map topography can be attributed to anatomical rewiring of this projection.  

The subcortical terminal fields were observed in the pontine nucleus, the nucleus of the brachium inferior colliculus, and the intermediate and deep layers of the superior colliculus.  

Electrical stimulation of the superficial visual layers (sSC) and of the auditory nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus (nBIC) evoked robust monosynaptic responses in dSC cells.  

This report describes fiber dissection technique for tracing the auditory pathway from the cochlear nerve to the medial geniculate body via the lateral lemniscus, inferior colliculus and inferior brachium.  

We also observed densely packed groups of fluorescent neurones in the peripeduncular nucleus and numerous labelled neurones in the nucleus of the brachium of the IC.  

Bilateral projections involved the (5) peripeduncular/suprapeduncular nucleus, (6) subparafascicular and posterior intralaminar nuclei, (7) nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, (8) lateral tegmental/lateral mesencephalic areas, and (9) deep layers of the superior colliculus.  

Based on this immunohistochemical staining, the border of PI is moved dorsally above the brachium of the superior colliculus and PI can be subdivided in five regions (PI(P), PI(M), PI(C), PI(L), and PI(LS)).  

Lesions to lateral tegmental tract (LTG), a pathway medial to brachium of the inferior colliculus (BIC), significantly decreased freezing and produced a persistent 5-fold increase in ASR amplitude compared with sham-operated controls.  

High to moderate densities of labeled perikarya were found in the anterior periventricular and arcuate hypothalamic nuclei, the reticular thalamic nucleus, in delimited parts of the nucleus of the brachium inferior colliculus, the retrorubral area, the dorsal raphe nucleus, the myelencephalic reticular formation and the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus.  

A caudal pathway projects medially to the posterior hypothalamic area and periaqueductal gray and caudally along the brachium of the superior colliculus to the medial pretectal area and the nucleus of the optic tract (IGL and VLG).  

Here we report that tracer injections in the superficial layers label axons with en passant and terminal boutons, both in the deeper layers of the SC and in their primary source of auditory input, the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus (nBIC).  

Previous work from this laboratory has demonstrated that monosynaptic inputs from the brachium of the inferior colliculus (BIC) to the medial subdivision of the medial geniculate nucleus (mMG) strengthen as a result of associative conditioning with an acoustic conditioned stimulus (i.e., fear conditioning).  

Axon collaterals of a given neuron often ran in several directions to provide multiple input to adjacent isofrequency laminae, the lateral nucleus of the IC, the brachium of the IC, the LL, the CP, and the IC commissure.  

the habenulo-interpeduncular tract, decussation of the dorsal tegmentum, the medial longitudinal fasciculus, transverse pontine fibers, the brachium conjunctivum and the inferior cerebellar peduncle were cadherin-8 positive, as were the spinal tract of the trigeminal nerve, oculomotor nerve, facial nerve and trigeminal nerve.  

After multiple injections of wheat germ agglutinin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) into the SC, the heaviest concentrations of labelled cells were found in the nucleus of the brachium (BIN) and external nucleus of the inferior colliculus, with much weaker labelling in the nucleus sagulum, dorsal, intermediate and ventral nuclei of the lateral lemniscus, paralemniscal regions, and periolivary nuclei.  

Coding for auditory space in the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus in the ferret. The nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus (BIN) projects topographically to the deeper layers of the superior colliculus (SC), which contain a two-dimensional map of auditory space.  

We compared the dimensions of GABA-immunoreactive and non-immunoreactive axons in the brachium of the cat inferior colliculus, and demonstrate that GABA-immunoreactive axons are among the largest of brachial axons.  

They were rare in the lateral tegmental system and brachium of the IC. In brain slices, stimulation of the brachium produced monosynaptic inhibitory postsynaptic potentials in morphologically identified thalamocortical relay neurons. Typically, brachium stimulation elicited a GABAA-mediated inhibitory potential followed by an excitatory potential and a longer latency GABAB-mediated inhibitory potential.  

However, a high density of immunoreactive fibers was found in the periaqueductal gray, the dorsal nucleus of the raphe, the locus coeruleus, and the marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum.  

Within the anterior midbrain, SHT axons traveled rostrally near the brachium of the inferior colliculus. These were in or near the mesencephalic reticular nucleus, brachium of the inferior colliculus, cuneiform nucleus, superior colliculus, central gray, and substantia nigra.  

Descending fibers from the caudal GP course in the cerebral peduncle and project to posterior thalamic nuclei (the subparafascicular and suprageniculate nuclei, medial division of the medial geniculate nucleus, and posterior intralaminar nucleus/peripeduncular area) and to extensive brainstem territories, including the pars lateralis of the substantia nigra, lateral terminal nucleus of the accessory optic system, nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, nucleus sagulum, external cortical nucleus of the inferior colliculus, cuneiform nucleus, and periaqueductal gray.  

In auditory structures retrograde labeling was found mainly in the external nucleus of the inferior colliculus and in the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

Less dense terminals were also seen in the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, the cuneiform nucleus, the medial part of the paralemniscal tegmental field, and the dorsolateral division of the pontine nuclei on the ipsilateral side.  

Wave Vn may be generated in the brachium of the inferior colliculus, as suggested from dipole configuration studies.  

Conditioning-related changes of synaptic efficacy were measured in awake animals by examining mMG single-unit responses evoked by stimulation of one of two areas that send auditory CS and nonauditory information monosynaptically to the mMG, the brachium of the inferior colliculus (BlC) and the superior colliculus (SC).  

Fourteen SHT axons (40%) ended in the ipsilateral midbrain mainly in the superior colliculus, cuneiform nucleus or nucleus brachium inferior colliculus.  

Both nuclei have a dense parvalbumin-immunoreactive neuropil formed by terminations of fibers ascending in the brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

Extra- and intracellular synaptic responses were recorded by sharp electrode and whole-cell patch clamp techniques in the ventral nucleus of the medial geniculate body after electrical stimulation of the brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

Further inputs to the LTR originated in the deep and intermediate layers of the ipsilateral superior colliculus and the ipsilateral periaqueductal gray, the contralateral LTR, and the contralateral marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum.  

By the 29th week, definitive myelination is present in all auditory pathways, including the proximal end of the cochlear nerve, trapezoid body, lateral lemniscus, dorsal commissure of the lemniscus, commissure of the inferior colliculus and brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

The oblique and perpendicular systems are fibres of passage projecting to the commissure and brachium of the IC, respectively..  

Simultaneously, MRI showed a left unilateral lesion involving the inferior colliculus, brachium colliculi and the medial geniculate body (MGB). Any discussion of Na and Pa sources should take into account the output of the MGB to the auditory radiations, the MGB, the brachium colliculi and the inferior colliculus..  

In the brainstem, COX 2-ir neurons were observed in the dorsal raphe nucleus, the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, and in the region of the subcoeruleus.  

Stimulation of the brachium of the inferior colliculus elicited either a short latency, single- (or dual-) spike or a long latency (10-80 ms) burst in MGB neurones.  

In this paper, the retino-MGN axons are compared with the normal inputs to the MGN from the brachium of the inferior colliculus (BIC).  

In the lateral tegmental field, the marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum, the superior central nucleus, the nucleus sagulum, the dorsal nucleus of the raphe, the interpeduncular nucleus and the retrorubral nucleus the density of immunoreactive cell bodies was moderate. A high density of immunoreactive fibers was observed in the substantia nigra, the nucleus ruber, the superior and inferior colliculi, the periaqueductal gray, the interpeduncular nucleus, the central, magnocellular and lateral tegmental fields, the marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum, the postpyramidal nucleus of the raphe, the inferior olive, the internal division of the lateral reticular nucleus and the medial and lateral nuclei of the superior olive.  

Biocytin deposition within the brachium of the IC revealed dense axonal fibres projecting to the MGB. Electrical stimulation of the brachium of IC invariably elicits fast, excitatory synaptic potentials in both MGv and MGd cells. Non-lemniscal MGd neurones recorded extracellularly exhibited a strong tendency to discharge in bursts in response to brachium stimulation.  

Extrathalamic regions receiving input included the pontine gray, external nucleus of the inferior colliculus, pericollicular tegmentum, nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, and pretectum.  

Perikarya containing galanin were only found, at a low density, in the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus and in the pericentral nucleus of the inferior colliculus. A moderate density of immunoreactive fibers was observed in the periaqueductal gray, locus coeruleus, marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum and below the facial nucleus, whereas a low density of such fibers was found in the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, pericentral nucleus of the inferior colliculus, nucleus incertus, medial division of the dorsal nucleus of the raphe, accessory dorsal tegmental nucleus, Kölliker-Fuse nucleus, lateral tegmental field, postpyramidal nucleus of the raphe, pericentral division of the dorsal tegmental nucleus, infratrigeminal nucleus, medial nucleus of the solitary tract, spinal trigeminal tract, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, and in the lateral reticular nucleus.  

The highest density of cell bodies was observed in the nucleus of the trapezoid body, whereas a low density of perikarya was found in the inferior and superior colliculi, nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus and in the alaminar and laminar spinal trigeminal nuclei. A moderate density of immunoreactive fibers was found in the nucleus of the solitary tract, dorsal nucleus of the raphe, area postrema, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus and in the marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum, whereas a low density of fibers was observed in the lateral tegmental field, laminar and alaminar spinal trigeminal nuclei, nucleus of the trapezoid body, nucleus coeruleus, brachium conjunctivum, Kölliker-Fuse nucleus, periaqueductal gray and in the inferior and superior colliculi.  

A moderate or low density of immunoreactive cell bodies was observed in the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, pericentral nucleus of the inferior colliculus, ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus and in the external division of the lateral reticular nucleus. The densest network of immunoreactive fibres was visualized in the interpeduncular nucleus, marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum, alaminar and laminar spinal trigeminal nuclei and in the substantia nigra. The periaqueductal gray, brachium of the inferior colliculus, nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, locus coeruleus, nucleus incertus, Kölliker-Fuse nucleus, facial nucleus, medial nucleus of the solitary tract and the area postrema contained a moderate density of immunoreactive fibres, whereas the pericentral nucleus of the inferior colliculus, nucleus sagulum, cuneiform nucleus, dorsal nucleus of the raphe, superior central nucleus, central, lateral and paralemniscal tegmental fields, ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus, dorsal tegmental nucleus, postpyramidal nucleus of the raphe, nucleus ambiguus, accessory dorsal tegmental nucleus, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus and the inferior olive had the lowest density of immunoreactive fibres..  

A high or moderate density of immunoreactive cell bodies was found in the superior central nucleus, nucleus incertus, dorsal tegmental nucleus, nucleus of the trapezoid body, and in the laminar spinal trigeminal nucleus, whereas a low density of such perikarya was observed in the inferior colliculus, nucleus praepositus hypoglossi, dorsal nucleus of the raphe, nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, and in the nucleus of the solitary tract. The highest density of immunoreactive fibers was found in the substantia nigra, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, nucleus coeruleus, lateral tegmental field, marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum, and in the inferior and medial vestibular nuclei.  

The highest density of immunoreactive fibers was observed in the substantia nigra, periaqueductal gray, marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum, medial vestibular nucleus, medial nucleus of the solitary tract, laminar spinal trigeminal nucleus, inferior colliculus, medial division of the dorsal nucleus of the raphe, locus coeruleus, dorsal tegmental nucleus and in the spinal trigeminal tract.  

Tentative origins for these slow potentials include the cerebellar cortex, the termination of the lateral lemniscus, the brachium of the inferior colliculus, the medial geniculate body, the auditory radiations and primary auditory cortex.  

Responses of single nerve fibers to acoustic stimuli were recorded from the brachium of the inferior colliculus (BIC) using tungsten wire microelectrodes, and their response latencies and best amplitudes were measured.  

Finally, a few immunoreactive fibers were observed in the pontine gray, nucleus coeruleus, marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum, nucleus of the solitary tract, inferior olive, and in the tegmental fields..  

A hypothetical generator for the first collicular potential is the termination of the lateral lemniscus in the ventrolateral inferior colliculus, while the later collicular potential could have its origins within the brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

Sixty-five % of the units in the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus and 30% in the ventral division of the medial geniculate body were found to be directional, suggesting different processing channels for sound localization between colliculus and cortex..  

Somatosensory neurons projecting to the mesencephalic parabrachial area (MPBA), which is located ventral to the inferior colliculus and dorsal to the brachium conjunctivum, were recorded from the bulbar reticular formation of adult cats anesthetized with alpha-chloralose.  

Cells of origin of these projections were localized in the caudal 2/3 of the GP, and their major target sites included the peripeduncular region, nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, para-lateral lemniscal zone, nucleus sagulum, external and pericentral nuclei of the inferior colliculus, and cuneiform nucleus.  

The nuclei coeruleus, sagulum, praepositus hypoglossi, cuneiform, dorsal and ventral nuclei of the lateral lemniscus, marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, lateral tegmental field, inferior colliculus, periaqueductal gray and nucleus of the solitary tract had a moderate density of immunoreactive fibers. Finally, scarce immunoreactive fibers were found in the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, inferior central nucleus, nucleus incertus, retrorubral nucleus and dorsal tegmental nucleus..  

A high or moderate density of immunoreactive perikarya was found in the interpeduncular nucleus, inferior colliculus, nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus and in the lateral tegmental field. Moreover, a high density of neurotensin-immunoreactive fibers was observed in the periaqueductal gray, locus coeruleus and in the marginal nucleus of the brachium conjunctivum.  

Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lesion in the right dorsal midbrain extending from the brachium of the superior colliculus to the inferior colliculus.  

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) retrograde tracing experiments in the cat demonstrated projections from the trigeminal sensory nuclei to the mesencephalic parabrachial area (PBA), which is located ventral to the inferior colliculus and dorsal to the brachium conjunctivum and includes the nucleus cuneiformis and the most lateral part of the periaqueductal gray.  

Finally, some injected cells had axons terminating locally and also entering the brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

D-type cells were loosely clustered in the lateral part of the central tegmental field dorsal to the substantia nigra, extending dorsally in the medial division of the posterior complex of the thalamus and medial side of the brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

Some crossed fibers ascended with the contralateral brachium conjunctivum and terminated in the midbrain tegmentum.  

These somatosensory units were found to occupy many of the region's structures, notably the intercollicular nucleus (INC), the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, the stratum griseum intermedium and the stratum griseum profundum of the superior colliculus.  

Type I PPE neurons were observed in diverse brainstem structures including the mesencephalic and pontine central gray matter, various reticular and raphe nuclei, the ventral tegmental area of Tsai, the interpeduncular nucleus, the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, the ventral and dorsal tegmental nuclei of Gudden, the sphenoid nucleus, the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus, Barrington's nucleus, the parabrachial region, the lateral lemniscus and its related nuclei, the trapezoid nucleus, the rostral and ventromedial periolivary nuclei, the mesencephalic trigeminal and principal sensory trigeminal nuclei, the locus coeruleus, the subcoeruleus nucleus, the medial and spinal vestibular nuclei, the dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei, the medial and lateral cerebellar nuclei, the Roller nucleus, and the intermedius nucleus of the medulla.  

MGB units were identified by their reactions to cortical zone AI and brachium of inferior colliculus stimulations.  

In the 'diffuse' system of projection, labeled neurons were observed bilaterally in the locus coeruleus, the nuclei of the raphe, the lateral hypothalamus, ipsilaterally in the ventromedial mesencephalic tegmentum and the basal forebrain; in the 'accessory sensory' system of projection, labeled neurons were found ipsilaterally in the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus and bilaterally in the claustrum. Anterogradely labeled corticofugal terminal fields were found only in the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus and, after injection in PAF, in the claustrum..  

In the 2-DG experiments, bats presented with second harmonic FM stimuli alone showed uptake of label in specific regions of the central nucleus and dorsal cortex of the inferior colliculus, and the nucleus of the brachium.  

One hundred forty-one trigeminomesencephalic neurons in the sensory trigeminal nucleus of cats anesthetized with alpha-chloralose were identified by antidromic stimulation of the mesencephalic parabrachial area (PBA) which includes the nucleus cuneiformis, lateral periaqueductal gray matter, and the region between the inferior colliculus and brachium conjunctivum.  

Other axons cut across the laminae and are probably efferent fibres destined for the brachium of the inferior colliculus en route to higher levels.  

Other afferents that terminate in the intermediate gray layer, such as the input from the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus (BIN), are almost completely segregated from the above inputs and show very little overlap with the NADPH-diaphorase lattice.  

The labelled cells were distributed in a sparse band arching below the margin of the brachium of the superior colliculus between the dorsal and lateral borders of the brainstem at the caudal edge of the pulvinar.  

(2) Terminal labeling after injection of tracer into LCN was found mainly in Inc, SGI, and SGP, but sparse labeling was also observed in the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus (BIN), PAG, PBN, PTP, and D.  

Cell bodies in the midbrain containing SS immunoreactivity were found in the superficial and intermediate gray layers of the superior colliculus, the interpeduncular nucleus, the raphe, the inferior colliculus and nucleus of its brachium, the nucleus of the optic tract, and the lateral tegmental field.  

After HRP injection into layer I of the primary auditory cortex (AI), HRP-labeled neuronal cell bodies were distributed mainly in the medial, dorsal, and ventrolateral divisions of the medial geniculate nucleus (MGN) and suprageniculate nucleus (Sg), and additionally in the lateral and medial divisions of the posterior group of the thalamus (Pol and Pom), lateroposterior thalamic nucleus (Lp), and nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus (BIN).  

Terminal fields associated with the major bundle of fibres are found in an area medial to the brachium of the inferior colliculus; the parabigeminal nucleus and adjacent tegmentum; the ventrolateral midbrain reticular formation; and the lateral pontine nuclei.  

The responses from electrodes placed at the vertex and the mastoid recorded either differentially or separately using non-cephalic references were compared to concomitant recordings from the auditory nerve, the cochlear nucleus, and the inferior colliculus, including the lateral lemniscus and the brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

It is concluded that: the substantia innominata, caudal periventricular and periaqueductal gray, lateral pontine and medullary reticular formation represent relay stations of vocalization-controlling pathways; the periaqueductal gray represents the lowest relay station above the level of motor coordination; neurons responsible for motor coordination of vocalization lie in the reticular formation around the caudal brachium conjunctivum, the superior olive, n.  

Anterograde labelling was seen mainly contralateral to the injection site: in the external nucleus of the inferior colliculus, the intercollicular zone, the brachium of the inferior colliculus, the lateral reticular nucleus of the thalamus and in the thalamic ventroposterior complex.  

Animals with lesions that extended caudally into the brachium of the inferior colliculus and lateral tegmentum were severely impaired in their ability to localize sounds even at large angles of speaker separation.  

Seven dogs were tested for their sensitivity to pure tones following lesions of the brachium of the inferior colliculus and medial geniculate body. Bilateral section of the brachium of the inferior colliculus consistently resulted in an average hearing loss of as much as 37 dB in the midrange of the animals' audiograms.  

A small number of labeled fibers passed from the inferior colliculus into the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus and adjacent tegmental areas.  

The main terminal area was situated at the level of transition between the superior and inferior colliculus on the side contralateral to the injection site and comprised the intercollicular nucleus and part of the external and pericentral nuclei of the inferior colliculus and of the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, but there were also projections to the caudal half of the deep and intermediate gray layers of the superior colliculus, the anterior and posterior pretectal nuclei, the nucleus of Darkschewitsch and nucleus ruber.  

Besides the small, labeled neurons in the ventral nucleus, many labeled cells were seen in the interstitial nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus. This hitherto poorly characterized group of cells is embedded among the fibers of the brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

HRP injected into layer I of the primary auditory cortex (AI) in the cat labeled neuronal cell bodies ipsilaterally in the medial, dorsal and ventrolateral divisions of the medial geniculate nucleus (MGN), suprageniculate nucleus, and nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

The distribution of labeled cells after the brachium of the IC (BIC) was cut unilaterally and infiltrated with HRP was also examined to enable comparison of the locations and approximate proportions of cells projecting to the contralateral IC and medial geniculate body (MGB).  

The dorsal division had a more diffuse, irregular arrangement of thinner axons interspersed among bundles of coarser fibers, whereas the medial division was traversed by many coarse preterminal axons passing laterally and dorsally from the brachium of the inferior colliculus; these imparted a striated pattern to the neuropil.  

The results indicate that some neurons in the intercollicular region, which comprises the intercollicular nucleus, external and pericentral nuclei of the inferior colliculus, and nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, receive afferent fibers from the dorsal column nuclei, bilaterally with a contralateral dominance, and send their axons to the lateral division of the posterior complex of the thalamus, bilaterally with an ipsilateral predominance..  

Three kinds of axons travel predominantly in the brachium of the inferior colliculus and enter the medial geniculate body ventromedially: group I, thin axons resembling ivy tendrils ending along dendrites; group II, thicker axons with a sinuous course and few branches; group IV, coarse thick axons with grumous collaterals and massive peridendritic terminals near principal cells and interneurons. Three kinds of axons enter from the parabrachial region and pass laterally: group III, very thin axons with many collaterals forming dense terminal nests; group V, runcinate axons with sparse, thin collaterals; group VI, either medium-sized (group VIa) or thin (group VIb) smooth axons, perhaps corticofugal, and ending near principal neuron dendrites; group VII, thick axons, entering from the auditory radiation, with large, grapelike terminal arbors; and group VIII, thin and forming peridendritic festoons on principal cells after entering from the brachium of the superior colliculus.  

The third and heaviest projection field (P3) is located posteromedially in the inferior pulvinar but also includes small portions of the lateral and medial pulvinar that lie dorsal to the brachium of the superior colliculus.  

The status of the inferior colliculus of the cat as an obligatory relay in the ascending auditory pathway was examined by attempting to infiltrate totally the fibres of the brachium of the inferior colliculus on one side with horseradish peroxidase.  

The main subdivisions of the auditory tegmentum are the pericollicular areas, the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, and the sagulum.  

Ascending projections from the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus (NBIC) in the cat were studied by the autoradiographic tracing method. Many fibers from the NBIC ascend ipsilaterally in the lateral tegmentum along the medial border of the brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

More scattered DCN fibers are present in the cuneiform nucleus (CF), the lateral part of the periaqueductal gray (PAG1), the red nucleus (NR), the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus (B), the mesencephalic reticular formation (MRF) and the intermediate and deep layers of the superior colliculus (SI, SP).  

After horseradish peroxidase (HRP) injection into the pretectomesencephalic reticular region (Pt-MRF), which includes caudoventral regions of the pretectum and rostrodorsal regions of the midbrain reticular formation, labeled neurons were seen in the dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus (DLL), the pericentral (PC) and external (EN) nuclei of the inferior colliculus (IC), the rostral process of IC (RP) and the nucleus of the brachium of IC (NB); no labeled neurons were found in the main laminated portion of the central nucleus of IC.  

Auditory responses in the suprageniculate nucleus were poorly defined and many units did not respond to tonal stimuli; following HRP injections no filled cells were found in the inferior colliculus, but labeled cells were found in the deeper layers of the superior colliculus and in the interstitial nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

Retinofugal fibers project to the medial part of PI, adjacent to the brachium of the superior colliculus.  

In hamster only two putatively auditory structures showed labeled cells, the external nucleus of inferior colliculus and nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus, whereas in cat additional cells are reported in the dorsal cochlear nucleus, trapezoid and superior olivary nuclei, and nucleus of the lateral lemniscus.  

Monosynaptic responses elicited in the MGm by periodic (0.2 Hz) stimulation of the brachium of the inferior colliculus (BIC) developed significant increases in amplitude and decreases in latency, which were maintained for at least 1 h, following brief high frequency stimulation of the BIC.  

Overlapping retrogradely filled cells and anterogradely transported terminal grains were found to be located only within a crescent shaped region which traverses the brachium of the superior colliculus to include the inferior pulvinar and dorsal overlying lateral pulvinar.  

Axonal spheroids were present throughout the white matter, but were most numerous in the rostal thalamic peduncle and brachium of the inferior colliculus.  

Bilateral interruption of the primary ascending auditory pathway at the level of the brachium of the inferior colliculus (BIC) did not affect short- or long-term habituation of the startle response provoked by auditory stimuli.  

After injections of horseradish peroxidase into the central tegmental field of the midbrain reticular formation and centrum medianum of the thalamus in the cat, labelled neurons were found in the nucleus of solitary tract, cuneate and gracile nuclei, spinal nuclei of trigeminal nerve, external nucleus and brachium nucleus of inferior colliculus, nuclei of the lemniscus lateralis in the area pretectalis, nucleus of the posterior commissure and stratum intermediale of the superior colliculus and in reticular structures of medulla and pons.  

In addition, the localization of ELI-containing perikarya is reported for the first time in the following areas: the olfactory bulb, the olfactory tubercle, the lateral preoptic nucleus, several nuclei within the amygdaloid nuclear complex, the hippocampus, the neocortex, the cingulate cortex, the posterior mammillary nucleus, the medial nucleus of the optic tract, the brachium of the inferior colliculus, the ventral tegmental nucleus, the locus ceruleus, the sub-ceruleal region, the lateral trapezoid nucleus, the nucleus reticularis lateralis, and lamina VII of the cervical spinal cord.  

In addition of these projections, the parabrachial region and interstitial nucleus of the brachium of IC (BIC) are identified as common targets of projections of each nucleus of IC on the ipsilateral side.  

In the acute guinea pig preparation, the tract response evoked in brachium of the inferior colliculus by electrical stimulation to an ear provided estimates of the effectiveness of various electrode placements.  

In experiments carried out on cats immobilzed with d-tubocurarine 280 neurons located in pars principalis of the medial geniculate body and 408 auditory cortical neurons located in AI were studied extra- and intracellularly in response to stimulation of the brachium of the inferior colliculus and geniculocortical fibres. It was shown that the initial stage of the reaction observed in the medial geniculate body neurons response to stimulation of the brachium of the inferior colliculus continue for 13.0 ms. Substantial part of fibres in the brachium of the inferior colliculus comes to the auditory cortex without synaptic switching in the medial geniculate body. Many medial geniculate neurons respond to stimulation of the brachium of the interior colliculus by EPSP-IPSP sequence or by primary IPSPs.  

The investigation has demonstrated that the term "nucleus of the inferior quadrigemina brachium" is more suitable to the form studied.  

Such responses were most frequently described as sensations of movement through space and were associated with two distinct vestibulothalamic projections: a) an anterior relay was situated ventral to the medial lemniscus, passing lateral to the red nucleus and dorsal to the subthalamic nucleus prior to terminating in the nucleus ventrointermedius (Vim) (comparable to VPLo in primates); b) a posterior relay associated with the auditory pathway (lateral lemniscus and brachium of the inferior colliculus) projected to the medial geniculate body.  

In addition, the rostral field projects to a small area of the medial pulvinar just anterior to the brachium of the superior colliculus..  

A fair number of degenerated second order auditory fibers ascended in the contralateral brachium of the inferior colliculus and were distributed both to the principle and magnocellular divisions of the medial geniculate body.  

The animals' localization accuracy was determined before and after one of the following operations: 1) transection of the trapezoid body, 2) unilateral and 3) bilateral transection of the lateral lemniscus, 4) unilateral and 5) bilateral transection of the brachium of the inferior colliculus. The results after bilateral transections of the lateral lemniscus and the one deep bilateral transection of the brachium of the inferior colliculus indicate that some portion of the ascending auditory system must be intact above the medulla for an animal to be able to localize sound. A small loss in accuracy of localization was found after unilateral transection of the lateral lemniscus or brachium of the inferior colliculus.  


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