Burne R A, Azizi S A, Mihailoff G A, Woodward D J
J Comp Neurol. 1981 Oct 20;202(2):287-307. doi: 10.1002/cne.902020212.
The projection from the superior and inferior colliculi to the basilar pons in the rat was studied with the technique of orthograde transport of labeled amino acids and autoradiography. Injections restricted to the medial or lateral regions of the superior colliculus gave rise to grain labeling representing terminal fields over the ipsilateral peduncular, dorsolateral, and ventrolateral regions of the caudal basilar pons and over the dorsomedial area of the contralateral nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis (NRTP). The pontine projection from the superior colliculus to the lateral basilar pons is topographically organized; the medial superior colliculus projects primarily to the peduncular region, whereas the lateral superior colliculus terminates chiefly in ventrolateral pontine areas. A projection from the superior colliculus to the contralateral dorsomedial pontine and medial peduncular pontine regions, a previously undescribed finding, has also been shown. Descending fibers from the inferior colliculus do not appear to terminate extensively within the basilar pons but rather course adjacent to pontine cells of the dorsolateral region in the caudal pons. Pretectal nuclei project ipsilaterally to medial and lateral nuclei in the rostral and middle basilar pons, respectively. A rostrocaudal topography exists in the tectopontine projection; the pretectum projects to rostromiddle basilar pons, the superior colliculus to more caudal pontine regions, and the inferior colliculus (although sparsely) to further caudal areas. The pontine projection pattern from the colliculi and pretectum differs from the pontine afferents from the visual cortices. The findings of this study, when compared to our results from previous investigations on the pontocerebellar projection system, suggest that the tectal inputs to certain lateral cerebellar lobules are relayed primarily through NRTP rather than the basilar pons. The collicular projection to midvermal lobules of the cerebellum appear to be mediated in part by both NRTP and lateral pontine nuclei.
采用标记氨基酸顺行运输技术和放射自显影术，对大鼠上丘和下丘向脑桥基底部的投射进行了研究。将注射局限于上丘的内侧或外侧区域，可产生代表终末场的颗粒标记，这些终末场位于同侧尾侧脑桥基底部的脚状、背外侧和腹外侧区域以及对侧脑桥被盖网状核（NRTP）的背内侧区。上丘向外侧脑桥基底部的脑桥投射呈拓扑学组织；内侧上丘主要投射至脚状区域，而外侧上丘主要终止于腹外侧脑桥区域。上丘向对侧背内侧脑桥和内侧脚状脑桥区域的投射，这一先前未描述的发现也已得到证实。下丘的下行纤维似乎并未广泛终止于脑桥基底部内，而是在尾侧脑桥中与背外侧区域的脑桥细胞相邻走行。顶盖前核分别同侧投射至嘴侧和中间脑桥基底部的内侧和外侧核。顶盖脑桥投射存在头尾拓扑学；顶盖前区投射至嘴侧中间脑桥基底部，上丘投射至更靠尾侧的脑桥区域，下丘（尽管稀疏）投射至更远端的尾侧区域。来自上丘和顶盖前区的脑桥投射模式与来自视觉皮层的脑桥传入不同。与我们之前关于脑桥小脑投射系统的研究结果相比，本研究结果表明，某些小脑外侧小叶的顶盖输入主要通过NRTP而非脑桥基底部进行中继。上丘向小脑蚓部中间小叶的投射似乎部分由NRTP和外侧脑桥核介导。
