Search results for "Superior colliculus"

Effect of claustrum stimulation on neurons of the contralateral medial oculomotor area, in the cat

1990

In chloralose-anaesthetized cats, the extracellular spontaneous unitary activity was recorded from 157 neurons, located in the medial oculomotor area. 98 units were identified as projecting onto the superior colliculus. Electrical stimulations of the contralateral claustrum provoked, on 13 of these cells, an excitatory effect, lasting 10-35 ms and appearing with a latency of 20-50 ms. Full length section of the corpus callosum totally abolished the contralateral claustrum effect. The results suggest that in the cat, the claustrum may have a role in the bilateral control of the visuo-motor performance.

Anterograde tracing of retinohypothalamic afferents with Fluoro-Gold

1997

The anterograde neuronal tracing properties of Fluoro-Gold (FG) were characterized in this study by its ability to label the retinohypothalamic tract (RHT) upon pressure injection of the substance into the vitrous body of the eye in the Djungarian hamster, Phodopus sungorus. Tracing was compared to the anterograde neuronal transport of cholera toxin B subunit (CTB), Fast blue (FB), Phaseolous vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) and biocytin. After survival times that ranged from 24 h to 4 weeks, a major projection was found to the bilateral hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). Labeling was also found in the anterior medial preoptic nucleus and, in relatively sparse amounts, in the latera…

The zona incerta system: Involvement in attention and movement

2021

The zona incerta (ZI) is a large structure made of four neurochemically defined regions (at least, in rodents). It is globally involved in complex connections with telencephalic and brainstem centers. In this work, we focus on some of the anatomical links this structure develops with the cerebral cortex and the tectum. We also point to its integration within a larger basal ganglia network. The functions of this region are still mysterious, even if recent works suggest its participation in behavioral expression. Studies about the functional organization of the vibrissal system have provided the first integrated model, illustrating the ZI's role in sensory-motor programing. In addition, ZI co…

2020

In this paper a comprehensive system-level computational model of oculomotor pathways is presented. This model shows the necessity of embedding internal models of muscles biomechanics in the cerebellar Vermis to realize fast saccadic eye movements based on predicting the changes in muscles lengths. First, the eye biomechanics are described by nonlinear equations during “slow” and “fast” movements. Afterward, by analyzing these equations, a computational model, is deduced. Furthermore, each part of this model is interpreted as a possible function of an element in the oculomotor pathways based on physiological and anatomical pieces of evidence. In this model, two internal feedback loops compe…

Neuronal network characteristics in the cat superior colliculus

1977

The system theoretical description of the superficial layers of neurons in the cat's superior colliculus is based on homogeneous linear space-time filters. The most important neurophysiological findings on the superior colliculus are simulated on the digital computer by generating suitable coupling functions and matching the space and time parameters. It is shown that the neurophysiological measurements can be interpreted by varying a few system parameters. The curves of velocity dependent responses, direction specificity and the effects of the colliculus specific surround are examined in particular. Computer simulation shows that such a surround can evaluate small moving stimuli differentl…

Demonstration of retinal afferents in the RCS rat, with reference to the retinohypothalamic projection and suprachiasmatic nucleus.

1995

In the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat, characterized by inherited retinal dystrophy, retinal projections to the brain were studied using anterograde neuronal transport of cholera toxin B subunit upon injection into one eye. The respective immunoreactivity was found predominantly contralateral to the injection site in the lateral geniculate nucleus, superior colliculus, nucleus of the optic tract, medial terminal nucleus of the accessory optic tract, and bilateral hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei. Although terminal density was somewhat reduced in dystrophic rats, the projection patterns in these animals appeared similar to those seen in their congenic controls and were comparable to …

Functional Anatomy of the Spinal Trigeminal Nucleus

1993

The trigeminal nerve (nV) conveys general somatic afferent exteroceptive input from the skin of the face and the frontal parts of the head, the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, tongue and nose, the tooth pulp, eye and meninges via the trigeminal (Gasserian) ganglion to the nuclei of termination [28]. Somatosensory input reaches the principal sensory nucleus of the nV and the spinal trigeminal nucleus of the nV (STN). Proprioceptive input from masticatory muscles innervated by trigeminal motor efferents is transferred to the nV mesencephalic nucleus.

Electrophysiological investigations on the central innervation of the rat and guinea-pig pineal gland

1984

The possible influence of central nervous structures on the electrical activity of single pineal cells was investigated in rat and guinea-pig. In the rat electrical stimulation of the hippocampal formation elicited both single cell responses with different latencies and mostly long-term excitations in single pineal cells, while stimulation of the habenular nuclei caused clear orthodromical responses with different latencies, alterations in the rate of spontaneous electrical activity and evoked discharges of "silent" units. In the guinea-pig electrical stimulation of the paraventricular nucleus influenced predominantly cells in the deeper layers of the posterior part of the pineal gland. Ele…

Alterations in the spontaneous activity of cells in the guinea pig pineal gland and visual system produced by pineal indoles

1982

The indoles serotonin (SER), melatonin (MEL), 5-methoxytryptophol (5-MTL) and 5-hydroxytryptophol (5-HTL) were administered during daytime microelectrophoretically to 240 cells in the pineal gland of the guniea-pig. The action of SER and 5-HTL was predominantly depressant on the electrical activity, MEL and 5-MTL caused an excitation in most of the units. Although MEL and 5-MTL caused fairly similar reactions on average, they appear to act on different cells. The effects of microelectrophoretically applied MEL and 5-MTL on the spontaneous or evoked activity in the visual system (retinal ganglion cells, optic tract, lateral lateral geniculate body, superior colliculus) of the guinea-pig were…

Movement Perception in the Colliculus Superior

1977

Summary Neurophysiological measurements on cats' colliculus superior show results which are dependent on the movement of visual stimuli and movement of the background as well as on the movement of stimulus and background n!lative to each other. The movement dependent problems involved in pattern recognition by space time filters as regards resolution of details, distortion and eye movement are outlined in principle.