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Distribution of corticospinal neurons with collaterals to the lower brain stem reticular formation in monkey (Macaca fascicularis)

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Summary

An earlier retrograde double-labeling study in cat showed that up to 30% of the corticospinal neurons in the medial and anterior parts of the precruciate motor area represent branching neurons which project to both the spinal cord and the reticular formation of the lower brain stem. These neurons were found to be concentrated in the rostral portion of the motor cortex, from where axial and proximal limb movements can be elicited. In the present study the findings in the macaque monkey are reported. The fluorescent retrograde tracer DY was injected unilaterally in the spinal cord at C2 and the fluorescent tracer FB was injected ipsilaterally in the medial tegmentum of the medulla oblongata. In the contralateral hemisphere large numbers of single DY-labeled corticospinal neurons and single FBlabeled corticobulbar neurons were present. A substantial number of DY-FB double-labeled corticospinal neurons were also found, which must represent branching neurons projecting to both the spinal cord and the bulbar reticular formation. These neurons were present in: 1. The anterior portion of the “cingulate corticospinal area” in the lower bank of the cingulate sulcus; 2. The supplementary motor area (SMA); 3. The rostral part of precentral corticospinal area; 4. The upper portion of the precentral face representation area; 5. The caudal bank of the inferior limb of the arcuate sulcus; 6. The posterior part of the insula. In these areas 10% to 30% of the labeled neurons were double-labeled. The functional implications of the presence of branching corticospinal neurons in these areas is discussed.

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Abbreviations

A:

nucleus ambiguus

AS:

arcuate sulcus

C:

cuneate nucleus

Cing. S.:

cingulate sulcus

corp. call.:

corpus callosum

CS:

central sulcus

Cx:

external cuneate nucleus

DCN:

dorsal column nuclei

dl:

dorsolateral intermediate zone

IO:

inferior olive

IP:

intraparietal sulcus

Lat. Fis.:

lateral fissure

LR:

lateral reticular nucleus

LS:

lunate sulcus

ML:

medial lemniscus

MLF:

medial longitudinal fascicle

mn:

motoneuronal pool

MRF:

medial reticular formation

Occ.:

occipital pole

P:

pyramid

PG:

pontine grey

PS:

principle sulcus

RB:

restiforme body

RF:

reticular formation

S:

solitary nucleus

SPV:

spinal trigeminal complex

STS:

superior temporal sulcus

Sup. Col.:

superior colliculus

TB:

trapezoid body

VC:

vestibular complex

vm:

ventromedial intermediate zone

III:

nucleus oculomotorius

VI:

nucleus abducens

VII:

nucleus, n. facialis

X:

motor nucleus n. vagus

XII:

nucleus hypoglossus

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy II, Erasmus University Medical School, P.O. Box 1738, NL-3000, DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    K. Keizer

  2. Department of Anatomy, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, CB2 3DY, Cambridge, UK

    H. G. J. M. Kuypers

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  1. K. Keizer
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  2. H. G. J. M. Kuypers
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Supported in part by grant 13-46-96 of FUNGO/ZWO (Dutch organisation for fundamental research in medicine)

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Keizer, K., Kuypers, H.G.J.M. Distribution of corticospinal neurons with collaterals to the lower brain stem reticular formation in monkey (Macaca fascicularis). Exp Brain Res 74, 311–318 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00248864

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00248864

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