Reiner A, Brauth S E, Kitt C A, Karten H J
J Comp Neurol. 1980 Sep 15;193(2):565-89. doi: 10.1002/cne.901930217.
Relations between the basal ganglia and the tectum were investigated in two different orders of reptiles: turtles (Chrysemys scripta) and crocodilians (Caiman crocodilus). In both species, efferents from the paleostriatal complex, a telencephalic region considered comparable to the mammalian basal ganglia on the basis of topographic, histochemical, and hodological criteria, were found to project to a prominent pretectal cell group called the dorsal nucleus of the posterior commissure (nDCP). Cells within nDCP, in turn, were found to project extensively upon the optic tectum. This paleostriatal-pretectal-tectal pathway is comparable to a previously described paleostriatal-pretectal-tectal channel in birds that involves a relay in the pretectal nucleus, spiriformis lateralis (SpL). Neither the presently described paleostriatal-pretectal-tectal channel of reptiles nor that previously described in birds, however, appears comparable to the superficially similar basal ganglionic-nigral-superior collicular pathway of mammals. Rather, data from the present experiments indicate the existence of a second paleostriatal channel to the tectum, one which does appear comparable to the basal ganglionic-nigral-superior collicular pathway of mammals. This second paleostriatal channel to the tectum, relayed via a tegmental cell group termed the substantia nigra in turtles and the tegmentipedunculopontine complex in caiman, is of much lesser prominence in reptiles than the paleostriatal-pretectal-tectal channel. The present results indicate the existence of at least two separate systems by which the basal ganglia in reptiles can influence the midbrain roof. These two channels, particularly the prominent paleostriatal-pretectal-tectal pathway, may represent major routes by which the basal ganglia influence motor functions in reptiles. Further, although previous research had only indicated the existence of a paleostriatal-pretectal-tectal pathway in birds and a basal ganglionic-nigral-collicular channel in mammals, existing data are consistent with the hypothesis that both presently described pathways in reptiles exist in birds and mammals, though only one of the two may be prominent in mammals.
龟类（锦龟）和鳄类（凯门鳄）。在这两个物种中，古纹状体复合体（一个根据地形学、组织化学和神经束路学标准被认为与哺乳动物基底神经节相当的端脑区域）的传出纤维被发现投射到一个称为后连合背核（nDCP）的显著顶盖前细胞群。反过来，nDCP内的细胞被发现广泛投射到视顶盖。这条古纹状体 - 顶盖前 - 顶盖通路与先前在鸟类中描述的一条古纹状体 - 顶盖前 - 顶盖通道相当，该通道涉及在顶盖前核外侧螺旋状核（SpL）中的中继。然而，目前所描述的爬行类动物的古纹状体 - 顶盖前 - 顶盖通道以及先前在鸟类中描述的通道，似乎都与哺乳动物表面上类似的基底神经节 - 黑质 - 上丘通路不同。相反，本实验的数据表明存在第二条通向顶盖的古纹状体通道，这条通道确实似乎与哺乳动物的基底神经节 - 黑质 - 上丘通路相当。这条通向顶盖的第二条古纹状体通道，在龟类中通过一个称为黑质的被盖细胞群中继，在凯门鳄中通过被盖脚桥复合体中继，在爬行类动物中比古纹状体 - 顶盖前 - 顶盖通道的重要性要小得多。目前的结果表明至少存在两个独立的系统，通过这些系统爬行类动物的基底神经节可以影响中脑顶盖。这两条通道，特别是突出的古纹状体 - 顶盖前 - 顶盖通路，可能代表了基底神经节影响爬行类动物运动功能的主要途径。此外，尽管先前的研究仅表明在鸟类中存在一条古纹状体 - 顶盖前 - 顶盖通路，在哺乳动物中存在一条基底神经节 - 黑质 - 丘系通道，但现有数据与以下假设一致：目前在爬行类动物中描述的两条通路在鸟类和哺乳动物中都存在，尽管在哺乳动物中这两条通路中可能只有一条是突出的。
