[THE ORGANIZATION OF PROJECTIONS OF MIDBRAIN LATERAL TEGMENTAL NUCLEI THE TO BRAIN BASAL GANGLIA IN DOGS].

ABSTRACT

The organization of the projections of midbrain lateral tegmental nuclei (peripeduncular nucleus, paralemniscal nucleus, nucleus of the brachium of inferior colliculus) to functionally diverse nuclei of the basal ganglia system was studied in dogs (n = 34) by the method of retrograde axonal transport of horse-radish peroxidase. It was found that the midbrain nuclei studied were involved in functionally different circuits, containing the basal ganglia as their components. These nuclei innervate the regions of the putamen, globus pallidus, cuneate nucleus, subcuneate nucleus, which are the motor or the limbic structures on the basis of their predominant connections with the motor or the limbic brain nuclei, and also regions of the caudate nucleus, nucleus accumbens, entopeduncular nucleus, compact part of the pedunculopontine nucleus, which receive the projections from the functionally various structures. The analysis of Nissl-stained frontal sections allowed to refine the anatomical topography of the individual nuclei of the midbrain lateral tegmentum. The cholinergic nature of their neurons was demonstrated based on of the positive histochemical reaction to NADPH diaphorase.