The origin of brainstem afferents of the paramedian pontine reticular formation in the cat.

Transcannular microinjections of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were made into the paramedian pontine reticular formation (PPRF) in adult cats to determine the origin of the principal sources of inputs to this important preoculomotor center for the production of saccadic eye movements. Retrogradely labeled cells were observed in numerous oculomotor-related structures, including the prerubral field (rostral interstitial nucleus of the medial longitudinal fasciculus), nucleus of Darkschewitsch, nucleus of the posterior commissure, deep superior colliculus, supraoculomotor ventral periaqueductal gray, contralateral paramedian pontine reticular formation, pontine raphe and dorsal medial pontine tegmentum medial to the abducens nucleus (purported to contain omnipause neurons), cell group Y, and the perihypoglossal complex (nucleus prepositus hypoglossi). Other sources of afferents to the region included the zona incerta, lateral and medial habenular nuclei, medial hypothalamus, medial mammillary nucleus, nucleus cuneiformis, medial medullary reticular formation, and the medial and lateral cerebellar nuclei. The results are discussed in terms of the potential influence of these nuclei on the control of eye movement.