Origin of the preganglionic visceral efferent fibers to the glands in the rat tongue as demonstrated by the horseradish peroxidase method.

A study was made to identify the cells which give origin to the preganglionic visceral efferent fibers to the 'intralingual' glands in the tongue of the albino rat by the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) method. The medium-sized multipolar neurons whose cell bodies were filled with HRP were located in the lateral reticular formation at the level between the facial motor nucleus and the superior olivary nucleus. These HRP-labeled neurons were identified as belonging to the superior salivatory nuclear complex. There was no discernible topographical separation within the superior salivatory nucleus for the submandibular glands and 'intralingual' glands.