The trigeminocollicular projection in the cat: patch-like endings within the intermediate gray.

We have used two neuroanatomical tracing techniques to study the trigeminocollicular projection in the cat. In one series of experiments we injected [3H]proline into the alaminar division of the spinal trigeminal nucleus and analyzed the distribution and pattern of anterogradely transported label within the superior colliculus. These autoradiographic data reveal that the trigeminocollicular projection: (1) is primarily contralateral; (2) reaches only the rostral 60-70% of the colliculus; and (3) terminates in a discontinuous, patch-like tier within the middle of the dorsal-ventral axis of the stratum griseum intermediale (SGI). The patches of label measure approximately 330 micrometer in the medial-lateral dimension and 250 micrometer in the dorsal-ventral extent. There seems to be an alignment of the patches in the rostral-caudal direction, suggesting that the trigeminal input forms longitudinal columns in the colliculus. Anterogradely transported protein is also present within the stratum griseum profundum (SGP). In contrast to the patch-like pattern present in the SGI, label in the SGP is more diffusely distributed. In a second series of experiments we injected horseradish peroxidase-wheat germ agglutinin (HRP-WGA) into the spinal trigeminal nucleus. While the distribution and pattern of the contralateral trigeminocollicular axons is similar to that in the autoradiographic experiments, patches of anterogradely transported HRP-WGA are also present within the ipsilateral SGI and SGP. Furthermore, the HRP-WGA data reveal groups of retrogradely labeled collicular neurons which lie in intimate association with the patches of anterogradely transported tracer. Our findings are discussed in relation to other collicular afferents which terminate in a patch-like manner within the SGI. We hypothesize that the colliculus contains many vertically oriented modules. Each module consists of tectopetal axon terminals -- arranged in sandwich fashion -- and functionally related collicular (tectofugal) neurons.