Ultrastructural study of vestibular and reticular projections to the abducens nucleus.

The origin of the synaptic boutons in the abducens nucleus was studied following lesions of the contralateral medial vestibular nucleus, the ipsilateral paramedian pontine reticular formation and the contralateral dorsomedial part of the reticular formation caudal to the abducens nucleus. Lesions in the rostral part of the contralateral medial vestibular nucleus resulted in degeneration of boutons located mainly on dendritic processes. On the other hand, lesions in both ipsilateral and contralateral reticular formations provoked degenerating terminals on the somata of the abducens neurones and on proximal dendrites in the abducens nucleus beneath of genu of the facial nerve.