Bender D B, Baizer J S
J Comp Neurol. 1984 Sep 10;228(2):284-98. doi: 10.1002/cne.902280213.
Several studies have reported behavioral deficits following thermocoagulation of the primate pulvinar. However, these deficits may have resulted from damage to corticotectal fibers as they pass through the pulvinar. To evaluate this possibility and to determine whether kainic acid can be used to destroy pulvinar cells without damaging corticotectal fibers, we compared anterograde degeneration in the superior colliculus following kainic acid and radiofrequency lesions of the pulvinar. Kainic acid injections into the pulvinar produced total loss of neuronal perikarya within the inferior and lateral pulvinar. Four to 7 days following the kainic acid lesions, terminal and fiber degeneration within the superior colliculus was no greater than that produced by control injections of saline. By contrast, thermocoagulation lesions of the inferior and lateral pulvinar produced dense fiber and terminal degeneration throughout the superficial and intermediate layers of the superior colliculus. We conclude that whereas thermocoagulation of the pulvinar severely damages the corticotectal tract, kainic acid lesions spare these fibers of passage. Thus kainic acid lesions should provide an effective tool for studying the functional significance of the pulvinar.
多项研究报告了灵长类动物丘脑枕热凝术后的行为缺陷。然而，这些缺陷可能是由于皮质顶盖纤维在穿过丘脑枕时受到损伤所致。为了评估这种可能性，并确定 kainic 酸是否可用于破坏丘脑枕细胞而不损伤皮质顶盖纤维，我们比较了 kainic 酸和丘脑枕射频损伤后上丘的顺行性变性。向丘脑枕注射 kainic 酸导致丘脑枕下部和外侧的神经元胞体完全丧失。在 kainic 酸损伤后 4 至 7 天，上丘内的终末和纤维变性不超过对照注射生理盐水所产生的变性。相比之下，丘脑枕下部和外侧的热凝损伤在上丘的浅层和中层产生了密集的纤维和终末变性。我们得出结论，虽然丘脑枕的热凝严重损伤了皮质顶盖束，但 kainic 酸损伤可使这些通过的纤维免受损伤。因此，kainic 酸损伤应为研究丘脑枕的功能意义提供一种有效的工具。
