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The corticothalamic projection from the gyrus proreus and the medial wall of the rostral hemisphere in the cat an experimental study with silver impregnation methods

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The corticothalamic projections from the gyrus proreus and the medial wall of the rostral hemisphere have been studied in the cat with the silver method of Nauta. The gyrus proreus projects upon the following nuclei (for abbreviations, see list on page 133), ipsilateral R, VA, VM, VL, MD, Pc, CL, CM, Pf, VPM, VPMpc. VPI and to the contralateral principal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve. The medial wall of the rostral hemisphere projects bilaterally upon R, VA, VM, VL, MD, Pc, CL, CM, Pf, VPM, VPMpc, VPI, VPL, the dorsal column nuclei and the principal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve. The ipsilateral thalamic projection is more abundant than the contralateral. The latter appears to increase in amount as the lesion is placed successively more ventrally on the medial wall of the rostral hemisphere. Some degenerating fibers cross in the corpus callosum and descend in the contralateral internal capsule but the majority cross in the dorsal part of the anterior commissure and reach the medial aspect of the anterior limb of the contralateral internal capsule. A somatotopical organization of the medial wall of the rostral hemisphere has been demonstrated. The rostrocaudal part projects upon the ipsilateral VPL lateralis (VPLl) and nucleus cuneatus and the contralateral nucleus gracilis and VPL medialis (VPLm). The caudal part of this cortical area sends fibers bilaterally to VPM, VPMpc, and the principal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve. The intermediate part, which also includes agranular cortex on the medial wall, projects upon ispsilateral VPLm and nucleus gracilis and upon contralateral VPLl and nucleus cuneatus. — The fibers to the ventro-basal complex, dorsal column nuclei and the principal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve are rather thick. The corticofugal fibers to the other thalamic nuclei are quite thin. — The findings are discussed in light of relevant anatomical and physiological observations in the literature and special emphasis has been laid on reported observations on the “supplementary motor” area.

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  1. Anatomical Institute, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Eric Rinvik

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Rinvik, E. The corticothalamic projection from the gyrus proreus and the medial wall of the rostral hemisphere in the cat an experimental study with silver impregnation methods. Exp Brain Res 5, 129–152 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00238702

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