Krauthamer G M, Grunwerg B S, Krein H
Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway 08854, USA.
Neuroscience. 1995 Nov;69(2):507-17. doi: 10.1016/0306-4522(95)00265-k.
We examined the sensory properties of putative cholinergic neurons of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus projecting to the superior colliculus. Projection neurons were identified by antidromic activation from the contralateral posterior superior colliculus; stimulation of the anterior half was essentially ineffective. Identified neurons fell into two groups, one with a somatosensory input (39%) and one without a sensory input. Somatosensory responsive projection neurons were low threshold and rapidly adapting. Receptive fields were contralateral (94%) and predominantly orofacial (57%). Sensory responsive and unresponsive projection neurons were intermingled within the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus as identified histologically by reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase or acetylcholinesterase. The properties of neurons outside the nucleus differed significantly. They could not be activated antidromically from the superior colliculus; many had ipsi- or bilateral receptive fields (75%) and wide dynamic range or nociceptive response patterns (52%). The presence of two functionally distinct groups of projection neurons implies a dual or more complex modulation of tectal neurons by the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus. The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus has been implicated in a multiplicity of behaviors and, in particular, in rapid eye movement sleep and alerting or arousal functions. By virtue of its many connections with the basal ganglia, limbic system and reticular structures, the projection to the superior colliculus of two distinct groups may provide an important differentiating element of the tectal organization of orienting and spatial cognitive behavior.
我们研究了脚桥被盖核中投射至上丘的假定胆碱能神经元的感觉特性。通过对侧后上丘的逆向激活来识别投射神经元；刺激前半部分基本上无效。已识别的神经元分为两组，一组有躯体感觉输入（39%），另一组没有感觉输入。躯体感觉反应性投射神经元阈值低且快速适应。感受野位于对侧（94%），主要为口面部（57%）。通过还原型烟酰胺腺嘌呤二核苷酸磷酸黄递酶或乙酰胆碱酯酶组织学鉴定，感觉反应性和无反应性投射神经元在脚桥被盖核内相互交织。核外神经元的特性有显著差异。它们不能被上丘逆向激活；许多具有同侧或双侧感受野（75%）以及宽动态范围或伤害性反应模式（52%）。存在两组功能不同的投射神经元意味着脚桥被盖核对顶盖神经元有双重或更复杂的调制。脚桥被盖核与多种行为有关，特别是与快速眼动睡眠以及警觉或唤醒功能有关。由于其与基底神经节、边缘系统和网状结构有许多联系，向丘投射的这两个不同组可能为定向和空间认知行为的顶盖组织提供一个重要的区分要素。
