Gamlin P D, Clarke R J
School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham 35294, USA.
J Am Optom Assoc. 1995 Jul;66(7):415-8.
Many studies of the pupillary light reflex pathway in mammals have indicated that the pretectum is important for this reflex. However, no single retinorecipient pretectal nucleus has been unequivocally identified as being involved in the light reflex pathway. In this study, anatomical studies in the rhesus monkey were carried out to identify the relevant retinorecipient pretectal nucleus and to better define the central pathway of this reflex.
An injection of Wheatgerm Agglutinin/Horseradish peroxidase, a neuroanatomical tracer, was placed under physiological guidance into the Edinger-Westphal nucleus. Intravitreal injection of the same tracer in another animal was used to define the pretectal retinal terminal fields.
Following injection of tracer in the Edinger-Westphal nucleus, retrogradely labeled cells were found in only one retinorecipient nucleus, the pretectal olivary nucleus. Most labeled cells were located contralateral to the injection site. A few labeled cells were located ipsilaterally. Intravitreal injection of tracer resulted in anterograde labeling of all the retinorecipient pretectal nuclei, including the pretectal olivary nucleus. The retinal terminal field in the pretectal olivary nucleus coincided with the location of the cells that were retrogradely labeled by the injection of tracer into the Edinger-Westphal nucleus.
These results demonstrate that there is a direct projection from the pretectum to the Edinger-Westphal nucleus, that it arises from only one retinorecipient pretectal nucleus, the pretectal olivary nucleus, and that cells in the pretectal olivary nucleus almost all appear to project to the contralateral Edinger-Westphal nucleus.
许多关于哺乳动物瞳孔光反射通路的研究表明，顶盖前区对该反射很重要。然而，尚未明确鉴定出单个接受视网膜传入的顶盖前核参与光反射通路。在本研究中，对恒河猴进行了解剖学研究，以确定相关的接受视网膜传入的顶盖前核，并更好地界定该反射的中枢通路。
在生理引导下，将神经解剖示踪剂小麦胚凝集素/辣根过氧化物酶注入动眼神经副核。在另一只动物的玻璃体内注射相同的示踪剂，以确定顶盖前区的视网膜终末场。
在动眼神经副核注射示踪剂后，仅在一个接受视网膜传入的核团——顶盖前橄榄核中发现了逆行标记的细胞。大多数标记细胞位于注射部位的对侧。少数标记细胞位于同侧。玻璃体内注射示踪剂导致所有接受视网膜传入的顶盖前核，包括顶盖前橄榄核，出现顺行标记。顶盖前橄榄核中的视网膜终末场与向动眼神经副核注射示踪剂后逆行标记的细胞位置一致。
这些结果表明，从顶盖前区到动眼神经副核存在直接投射，该投射仅起源于一个接受视网膜传入的顶盖前核——顶盖前橄榄核，并且顶盖前橄榄核中的细胞几乎都似乎投射到对侧的动眼神经副核。
