Connections of the lateral reticular nucleus to the lateral vestibular nucleus in the rat. An anterograde tracing study with Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin.

Efferent projections from the lateral reticular nucleus in the rat were investigated with anterograde transport of Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin. Besides the well known mossy fibre connections to the cerebellar cortex and collaterals to the cerebellar nuclei, a substantial bilateral projection to the lateral vestibular nucleus was found. Terminal arborizations found within this nucleus appeared to detach from the reticulocerebellar fibres in the cerebellar white matter and enter the lateral vestibular nucleus from dorsally. This projection may have functional relevance for the control, by ascending spinal pathways, of the descending lateral vestibulospinal tract.