Retrograde analysis of the cerebellar projections to the posteroventral part of the ventral lateral thalamic nucleus in the macaque monkey

The organization of cerebellothalamic projections was investigated in macaque monkeys using injections of retrograde tracers (cholera toxin B and fluorescent dextrans) in the posteroventral part of the ventrolateral thalamic nucleus (VLpv), the main source of thalamic inputs to the primary motor cor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of comparative neurology (1911) 2008-05, Vol.508 (2), p.286-314
Main Authors: Evrard, Henry C., Craig, A.D. (Bud)
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Afferent Pathways - anatomy & histology
Afferent Pathways - physiology
Animals
asynergia
Brain Mapping
cerebellum
Cerebellum - anatomy & histology
Cerebellum - physiology
Cholera Toxin - metabolism
Dextrans - metabolism
Extremities - innervation
Face - innervation
Female
Functional Laterality
Lateral Thalamic Nuclei - cytology
Lateral Thalamic Nuclei - physiology
Macaca fascicularis - anatomy & histology
Male
motor learning
motor synergies
motor thalamus
Neurons - metabolism
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Summary:The organization of cerebellothalamic projections was investigated in macaque monkeys using injections of retrograde tracers (cholera toxin B and fluorescent dextrans) in the posteroventral part of the ventrolateral thalamic nucleus (VLpv), the main source of thalamic inputs to the primary motor cortex. Injections that filled all of VLpv labeled abundant neurons that were inhomogeneously distributed among many unlabeled cells in the deep cerebellar nuclei (DCbN). Single large pressure injections made in face‐, forelimb‐, or hindlimb‐related portions of VLpv using physiological guidance labeled numerous neurons that were broadly dispersed within a coarse somatotopographic anteroposterior (foot to face) gradient in the dentate and interposed nuclei. Small iontophoretic injections labeled fewer neurons with the same somatotopographic gradient, but strikingly, the labeled neurons in these cases were as broadly dispersed as in cases with large injections. Simultaneous injections of multiple tracers in VLpv (one tracer per somatic region with no overlap between injections) confirmed the general somatotopography but also demonstrated clearly the overlapping distributions and the close intermingling of neurons labeled with different tracers. Significantly, very few neurons (
ISSN:0021-9967
1096-9861
DOI:10.1002/cne.21674