Interhemispheric nigrostriatal projections in the rat: bifurcating nigral projections and loci of crossing in the diencephalon.

The organization of interhemispheric nigrostriatal projections in the rat was studied with (1) a double labeling technique combined with a histofluorescence method for monoamines and with (2) horseradish-peroxidase (HRP) as a tracer. Each animal received an injection of Fast Blue (FB) into the caudate nucleus (NC) of one hemisphere and an injection of Nuclear Yellow (NY) into the NC of the other hemisphere. Brains were processed according to the sucrose-potassium phosphate-glyoxylic acid (SPG) method in order to identify monoaminergic neurons. About 5% of the neurons which were labeled by either of the tracers in the substantia nigra (SN) ipsilateral to the injection site were also labeled in the contralateral SN. Most of these interhemispherically projecting SN-neurons were monoaminergic. A small number of neurons in either SN was labeled with both fluorescent tracers. This suggests that bifurcating, monoaminergic neurons in the SN project to both NC. In the second experiment, rats received a unilateral injection of HRP into NC. After a survival time of several hours the animals were perfused and the brains were processed using benzidine-dihydrochloride. Fibers crossing the hemisphere were found within the massa intermedia of the thalamus and within the inferior thalamic peduncle. The results are discussed with respect to a possible functional role of interhemispheric nigrostriatal connections.