Overlap of retinal and prestriate cortical pathways in the primate pretectum.

Connections between the pretectum and prestriate visual cortex were examined following injection of HRP into area V4 of Macaca nemestrina monkeys. Orthograde label was found in nucleus olivarius (NO) and the sublenticular (SL) regions while retrogradely labeled neurons were present in the nucleus of the optic tract (NOT). Following injection of [3H]proline into one eye, 3 pretectal zones of retinal input were seen: NO, SL and the posterior pretectal region (PPR). These results indicate that NO and SL may be sites for retinal and cortical pathway interaction in primate pretectum.