6533b86cfe1ef96bd12c8382

RESEARCH PRODUCT

The role of the claustrum in the bilateral control of frontal oculomotor neurons in the cat.

Giuseppe AmatoGiuseppe CrescimannoMaria SalernoR. Cortimiglia

subject

Cerebral CortexNeuronsSuperior ColliculiOculomotor nerveGeneral NeuroscienceSuperior colliculusElectroencephalographyAnatomyFrontal eye fieldsBiologyCorpus callosumClaustrumBasal GangliaElectric StimulationStereotaxic Techniquesmedicine.anatomical_structureOculomotor NerveCerebral cortexStereotaxic techniqueNeural PathwaysmedicineExcitatory postsynaptic potentialCatsAnimalsNeuroscience

description

The effect of claustrum (CL) stimulation on the spontaneous unitary activity of ipsi and contralateral frontal oculomotor neurons, was studied in chloralose-anaesthetized cats. A total of 205 units was bilaterally recorded in the medial oculomotor area, homologous of the primate "frontal eye fields"; 127 neurons were identified as projecting to the superior colliculus; for 33 of these last units stimulation of the ipsilateral CL provoked an excitatory effect lasting 10-25 ms and appearing with a latency of 5-15 ms; on 8 units the excitatory effect was followed by an inhibition lasting 100-250 ms. Ninety-eight of the 127 neurons were also tested through activation of the contralateral CL: 13 cells showed an excitatory effect lasting 10-35 ms and appearing with a latency of 20-50 ms. In three of the thirteen units the excitatory effect was followed by an inhibition lasting 100-150 ms. Complete section of the corpus callosum abolished the contralateral CL effect, suggesting the existence of a direct claustro-contralateral oculomotor cortex pathway running through the corpus callosum. The results could support the hypothesis that the CL may play a role in the bilateral control of the visuomotor performance.

10.1007/bf00230958https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1864320