Distribution and Morphology of Cortical Terminals in the Cat Thalamus from the Anterior Ectosylvian Sulcus.

Two main types of cortical terminals have been identified in the cat thalamus. Large (type II) have been proposed to drive the response properties of thalamic cells while smaller (type I) are believed to modulate those properties. Among the cat's visual cortical areas, the anterior ectosylvian visual area (AEV) is considered as one of the highest areas in the hierarchical organization of the visual system. Whereas the connections from the AEV to the thalamus have been recognized, their nature (type I or II) is presently not known. In this study, we assessed and compared the relative contribution of type I and type II inputs to thalamic nuclei originating from the AEV. The anterograde tracer BDA was injected in the AEV of five animals. Results show that (1) both type I and II terminals from AEV are present in the Lateral Posterior- Pulvinar complex, the lateral median suprageniculate complex and the medial and dorsal geniculate nuclei (2) type I terminals significantly outnumber the type II terminals in almost all nuclei studied. Our results indicate that neurons in the AEV are more likely to modulate response properties in the thalamus rather than to determine basic organization of receptive fields of thalamic cells.

Subset of Cortical Layer 6b Neurons Selectively Innervates Higher Order Thalamic Nuclei in Mice.

The thalamus receives input from 3 distinct cortical layers, but input from only 2 of these has been well characterized. We therefore investigated whether the third input, derived from layer 6b, is more similar to the projections from layer 6a or layer 5. We studied the projections of a restricted population of deep layer 6 cells ("layer 6b cells") taking advantage of the transgenic mouse Tg(Drd1a-cre)FK164Gsat/Mmucd (Drd1a-Cre), that selectively expresses Cre-recombinase in a subpopulation of layer 6b neurons across the entire cortical mantle. At P8, 18% of layer 6b neurons are labeled with Drd1a-Cre::tdTomato in somatosensory cortex (SS), and some co-express known layer 6b markers. Using Cre-dependent viral tracing, we identified topographical projections to higher order thalamic nuclei. VGluT1+ synapses formed by labeled layer 6b projections were found in posterior thalamic nucleus (Po) but not in the (pre)thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). The lack of TRN collaterals was confirmed with single-cell tracing from SS. Transmission electron microscopy comparison of terminal varicosities from layer 5 and layer 6b axons in Po showed that L6b varicosities are markedly smaller and simpler than the majority from L5. Our results suggest that L6b projections to the thalamus are distinct from both L5 and L6a projections.

Interlayer Repulsion of Retinal Ganglion Cell Mosaics Regulates Spatial Organization of Functional Maps in the Visual Cortex.

In higher mammals, orientation tuning of neurons is organized into a quasi-periodic pattern in the primary visual cortex. Our previous model studies suggested that the topography of cortical orientation maps may originate from moiré interference of ON and OFF retinal ganglion cell (RGC) mosaics, but did not account for how the consistent spatial period of maps could be achieved. Here we address this issue with two crucial findings on the development of RGC mosaics: first, homotypic local repulsion between RGCs can develop a long-range hexagonal periodicity. Second, heterotypic interaction restrains the alignment of ON and OFF mosaics, and generates a periodic interference pattern map with consistent spatial frequency. To validate our model, we quantitatively analyzed the RGC mosaics in cat data, and confirmed that the observed retinal mosaics showed evidence of heterotypic interactions, contrary to the previous view that ON and OFF mosaics are developed independently.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Orientation map is one of the most studied functional maps in the brain, but it has remained unanswered how the consistent spatial periodicity of maps could be developed. In the current study, we address this issue with our developmental model for the retinal origin of orientation map. We showed that local repulsive interactions between retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) can develop a hexagonal periodicity in the RGC mosaics and restrict the alignment between ON and OFF mosaics, so that they generate a periodic pattern with consistent spatial frequency for both the RGC mosaics and the cortical orientation maps. Our results demonstrate that the organization of functional maps in visual cortex, including its structural consistency, may be constrained by a retinal blueprint.

Ultrastructural analysis of parvalbumin synapses in human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Coordinated activity of neural circuitry in the primate dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) supports a range of cognitive functions. Altered DLPFC activation is implicated in a number of human psychiatric and neurological illnesses. Proper DLPFC activity is, in part, maintained by two populations of neurons containing the calcium-binding protein parvalbumin (PV): local inhibitory interneurons that form Type II synapses, and long-range glutamatergic inputs from the thalamus that form Type I synapses. Understanding the contributions of each PV neuronal population to human DLPFC function requires a detailed examination of their anatomical properties. Consequently, we performed an electron microscopic analysis of (1) the distribution of PV immunoreactivity within the neuropil, (2) the properties of dendritic shafts of PV-IR interneurons, (3) Type II PV-IR synapses from PV interneurons, and (4) Type I PV-IR synapses from long-range projections, within the superficial and middle laminar zones of the human DLPFC. In both laminar zones, Type II PV-IR synapses from interneurons comprised ∼60% of all PV-IR synapses, and Type I PV-IR synapses from putative thalamocortical terminals comprised the remaining ∼40% of PV-IR synapses. Thus, the present study suggests that innervation from PV-containing thalamic nuclei extends across superficial and middle layers of the human DLPFC. These findings contrast with previous ultrastructural studies in monkey DLPFC where Type I PV-IR synapses were not identified in the superficial laminar zone. The presumptive added modulation of DLPFC circuitry by the thalamus in human may contribute to species-specific, higher-order functions.

Super-resolution track-density imaging of thalamic substructures: comparison with high-resolution anatomical magnetic resonance imaging at 7.0T.

The thalamus is one of the most important brain structures, with strong connections between subcortical and cortical areas of the brain. Most of the incoming information to the cortex passes through the thalamus. Accurate identification of substructures of the thalamus is therefore of great importance for the understanding of human brain connectivity. Direct visualization of thalamic substructures, however, is not easily achieved with currently available magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including ultra-high field MRI such as 7.0T, mainly due to the limited contrast between the relevant structures. Recently, improvements in ultra-high field 7.0T MRI have opened the possibility of observing thalamic substructures by well-adjusted high-resolution T1 -weighted imaging. Moreover, the recently developed super-resolution track-density imaging (TDI) technique, based on results from whole-brain fiber-tracking, produces images with sub-millimeter resolution. These two methods enable us to show markedly improved anatomical detail of the substructures of the thalamus, including their detailed locations and directionality. In this study, we demonstrate the role of TDI for the visualization of the substructures of the thalamic nuclei, and relate these images to T1-weighted imaging at 7.0T MRI.

A morphological analysis of thalamocortical axon fibers of rat posterior thalamic nuclei: a single neuron tracing study with viral vectors.

The rostral sector of the posterior thalamic nuclei (POm) is, together with the ventral posterior nuclei (VP), involved in somatosensory information processing in rodents. The POm receives inputs from the spinal cord and trigeminal nuclei and projects to the primary somatosensory (S1) cortex and other cortical areas. Although thalamocortical axons of single VP neurons are well known to innervate layer (L) 4 of the S1 cortex with distinct columnar organization, those of POm neurons have not been elucidated yet. In the present study, we investigated complete axonal and dendritic arborizations of single POm neurons in rats by visualizing the processes with Sindbis viruses expressing membrane-targeted fluorescent protein. When we divided the POm into anterior and posterior parts according to calbindin immunoreactivity, dendrites of posterior POm neurons were wider but less numerous than those of anterior neurons. More interestingly, axon fibers of anterior POm neurons were preferentially distributed in L5 of the S1 cortex, whereas those of posterior neurons were principally spread in L1 with wider and sparser arborization than those of anterior neurons. These results suggest that the POm is functionally segregated into anterior and posterior parts and that the 2 parts may play different roles in somatosensory information processing.

Do the quantitative relationships of synaptic junctions and terminals in the thalamus of genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg (GAERS) differ from those in normal control Wistar rats.

Abnormal functional properties of the thalamocortical connections were reported in the absence of epilepsy. The present study compares the ratios of terminals ('RL'-round vesicles, large terminals, 'RS'-round vesicles, small terminals and 'F'-flattened vesicles) and synapse in three first-order (ventrobasal, lateral geniculate and anteroventral) and in three higher-order (posterior, lateral posterior and mediodorsal) thalamic nuclei of genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg (GAERS) with our earlier quantitative studies of normal Wistar rats to show whether quantitative differences were present in GAERS as compared to Wistar rat. Rats were perfused transcardially, the brains were removed and cut as 300 µm coronal sections. Parts of the six thalamic nuclei were removed for routine electron microscopy and GABA immunocytochemistry. Twenty photographs from each section at 20,000× magnification were taken, and the terminals were identified as RL, RS or F. (1) In normal Wistar rats (as in cats), the proportion of driver terminals (RL) and synapses is lower in higher-order than in first-order thalamic nuclei, but this difference is not present in GAERS animals. (2) The proportions of RS terminals and synapses for each thalamic nucleus showed no significant differences between GAERS and Wistar rats for any of the thalamic nuclei. (3) In GAERS, the proportion of inhibitory F terminals and synapses was significantly high in the VB and low in the LP thalamic nucleus. These abnormal ratios in the GAERS may be the cause of the spike-and-wave discharges of absence seizures or may represent a compensatory response of the thalamocortical circuitry to the absence seizures.

Spatially distributed encoding of covert attentional shifts in human thalamus.

Spatial attention modulates signal processing within visual nuclei of the thalamus--but do other nuclei govern the locus of attention in top-down mode? We examined functional MRI (fMRI) data from three subjects performing a task requiring covert attention to 1 of 16 positions in a circular array. Target position was cued after stimulus offset, requiring subjects to perform target detection from iconic visual memory. We found positionally specific responses at multiple thalamic sites, with individual voxels activating at more than one direction of attentional shift. Voxel clusters at anatomically equivalent sites across subjects revealed a broad range of directional tuning at each site, with little sign of contralateral bias. By reference to a thalamic atlas, we identified the nuclear correspondence of the four most reliably activated sites across subjects: mediodorsal/central-intralaminar (oculomotor thalamus), caudal intralaminar/parafascicular, suprageniculate/limitans, and medial pulvinar/lateral posterior. Hence, the cortical network generating a top-down control signal for relocating attention acts in concert with a spatially selective thalamic apparatus-the set of active nuclei mirroring the thalamic territory of cortical "eye-field" areas, thus supporting theories which propose the visuomotor origins of covert attentional selection.

Subcellular distribution of low-voltage activated T-type Ca2+ channel subunits (Ca(v)3.1 and Ca(v)3.3) in reticular thalamic neurons of the cat.

Low-voltage-activated (LVA) Ca(2+) channels play a critical role in the generation of burst firing in the thalamus. Recently, three LVA Ca(2+) channel isoforms (Ca(v)3.1, Ca(v)3.2, Ca(v)3.3) have been identified in the reticular thalamic nucleus (RE). Previous electrophysiological and modelling studies have suggested that kinetically different T-type channels might be expressed in a compartmentalized manner in RE cells. However, their precise subcellular distribution has not been fully elucidated. Using light and electron microscopic (EM) immunocytochemistry, we investigated the subcellular expression pattern of Ca(v)3.1 and Ca(v)3.3 channel subunits in RE neurons of the cat. Fluorescent and peroxidase labelling demonstrated the presence of Ca(v)3.1 channel predominantly on the somata and proximal dendrites and Ca(v)3.3 channels on cell bodies. Quantitative immunogold localization disclosed that Ca(v)3.1 and Ca(v)3.3 isoforms showed 5.8- and 8.7-fold higher density, respectively, in the cytoplasm compared with somatic plasma membrane. Density of Ca(v)3.1 isoform in the somatic plasma membrane was 2.21-fold higher compared with Ca(v)3.3 subunit. In the dendritic plasma membrane, Ca(v)3.1 channel isoform was expressed throughout the entire dendritic tree. In contrast, Ca(v)3.3 isoform was absent from large-caliber, presumably proximal dendritic segments. Quantitative comparison showed that the relative density of immunogold particles compared with dendritic surface was 8.9- and 14.8-fold higher for Ca(v)3.1 and Ca(v)3.3, respectively, in small-diameter dendrites than in large proximal dendritic segments or somata. Our results demonstrate a higher density of low-threshold Ca(2+) channels in distal dendrites and provide further evidence of the role of RE neuron dendrites in the generation of prolonged, low-threshold spike bursts.

[Evolutionary significance of reciprocal connections in the turtle tectofugal visual system].

In two turtle species--Emys orbicularis and Testudo horsfieldi--by the method of anterograde and retrograde traicing method at the light and electron microscopy level, the existence is proven of direct descending projections from the thalamic nucleus of the tectofugal visual system n. rotunds (Rot) to the optic tectum. After injection of tracers into Rot alone and into Rot with involvement of the tectothalamic tract (Trtth), occasional labeled fibers with varicosities and terminals are revealed predominantly in the deep sublayers of SGFS of the rostral optic tectum, while in the lower amount in other tectal layers. After the tracer injections into the optic tectum, a few retrogradely labeled neurons were found mainly in the Rot ventral parts and within Trtth. Their localization coincides with that of GABA-immunoreactive cells. Electron microscopy showed the existence of many retrogradely labeled dendrites throughout the whole Rot; a few labeled cell bodies were also present there, some of them being also GABA-immunoreactive. These results allow us to conclude about the existence of reciprocal connections between the optic tectum and Rot in turtles, these connections being able to affect processing of visual information in tectum. We suggest that reciprocity of tectothalamic connections might be the ancestral feature of the vertebrate brain; in the course of amniote evolution the functional significance of this feature can be decreased and even lost in parallel with a rise of the role of direct corticotectal projections.

Tectorotundal connections in turtles: an electron microscopic tracing and GABA-immunocytochemical study.

The nucleus rotundus of the turtles Emys orbicularis and Testudo horsfieldi was analysed by axonal tracing methods and post-embedding GABA immunocytochemistry. After injections of horseradish peroxidase or biotinylated dextran amine into the optic tectum, electron microscopic observations showed that the vast majority of ipsilateral tectorotundal axon terminals were small in size, had smooth contours and contained small, round, densely packed synaptic vesicles. These terminals were GABA-immunonegative, often gathered in clusters, and established asymmetrical synaptic contacts with either small- or medium-sized GABA-negative dendritic profiles and with GABA-immunoreactive (GABA-ir) dendrites, which did not contain synaptic vesicles. Occasional GABA-ir-labelled axon terminals were observed; these may arise from the rare GABAergic neurons in the central tectal layer, or from neurons in the ventral pretectal nucleus, which projects both to the optic tectum and nucleus rotundus. In addition to tracer-labelled axon terminals, we observed both GABA-negative and GABA-ir cell bodies and dendrites also labelled by the tracer. No GABA-ir presynaptic dendritic profiles containing synaptic vesicles were observed. The existence in reptiles of reciprocal connections between the nucleus rotundus and the optic tectum as a phylogenetically ancient feedback system is discussed.

Immunolocalization of muscarinic receptor subtypes in the reticular thalamic nucleus of rats.

In this study, to identify the precise localization of the muscarinic receptor subtypes m2, m3 and m4 in the rostral part of the rat reticular thalamic nucleus (rRt), namely, the limbic sector, we used receptor-subtype-specific antibodies and characterized the immunolabeled structures by light, confocal laser scanning, and electron microscopies. The m2-immunolabeling was preferentially distributed in the distal dendrite region where cholinergic afferent fibers tend to terminate and in the peripheral region of somata, whereas the m3-immunolabeling was more preferentially distributed in a large part of somata and in proximal dendrite shafts than in the distal dendrite region. Dual-immunofluorescence experiments demonstrated that majority of rRt neurons with parvalbumin immunoreactivity contain both m2 and m3. Neither m2 nor m3 was detected in presynaptic terminals or axonal elements. No m4-immunolabeling was detected in the rostral part of the thalamus including rRt. These results show the different distributions of m2 and m3 in rRt neurons, and strongly suggest that m2 is more closely associated with cholinergic afferents than m3.

Do first order and higher order regions of the thalamic reticular nucleus have different developmental timetables?

The thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) can been subdivided into sectors based on thalamic and cortical input. Additionally, in carnivores the visual sector of the TRN can be subdivided into first order (perigeniculate nucleus: PGN) and higher order (TRN) regions. This report examines whether TRN development reflects the nature of its higher order visual connections. 170 cells from 12 kittens aged between postnatal day 0 (P0) and P125 were fully analysed after single cell injections in 400-500 microm fixed brain slices. TRN cells have a period of exuberant dendritic branching that peaks between P3 and P12, around the time of eye opening (P7), followed by branch pruning until P68. Similarly, most dendritic appendages are added between P12 and P22 followed by pruning, which is also largely complete by P68. Most branch points occur within the first 10-30% of the dendritic arbor, peaking between 10 and 20% (roughly equivalent to 100 mum from the soma), while appendages were concentrated between 20 and 30% of the arbour; appendages tend to be distributed over a larger proportion of the arbor up to P14 compared to later ages. TRN and PGN maturation were not significantly different. The present data suggest that clear distinctions cannot be made between the maturation of first and higher order pathways and indicate that GABAergic cells of the ventral thalamus may mature earlier than relay cells of the dorsal thalamus. Furthermore, dendritic development in the TRN may be less dependent on extrinsic factors than an intrinsic growth pattern or factors other than a functional hierarchy within the visual pathway.

Structural organization, neurochemical characteristics, and connections of the reticular nucleus of the thalamus.

This review analyzes current concepts of the structural organization and ultrastructure of the reticular nucleus of the thalamus (RNT) and the neurochemical characteristics of its neurons. The topography, cytoarchitectonics, and neuronal organization of this nucleus are considered in detail, as are questions of its neurogenesis. Neurochemical data clarifying the representation of neurotransmitter systems in the RNT and data on neuropeptides synthesized in its neurons are systematized. The complex ultrastructural organization of the RNT is characterized in terms of recent data from state-of-the-art immunocytochemical methods allowing localization of glutamatergic and GABAergic receptors on synaptic elements. Data on the afferent and efferent connections of the RNT demonstrate its influences on various parts of the brain and the specific features of its interactions with cortical formations.

Prefrontal projections to the thalamic reticular nucleus form a unique circuit for attentional mechanisms.

The inhibitory thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) intercepts and modulates all corticothalamic and thalamocortical communications. Previous studies showed that projections from sensory and motor cortices originate in layer VI and terminate as small boutons in central and caudal TRN. Here we show that prefrontal projections to TRN in rhesus monkeys have a different topographic organization and mode of termination. Prefrontal cortices projected mainly to the anterior TRN, at sites connected with the mediodorsal, ventral anterior, and anterior medial thalamic nuclei. However, projections from areas 46, 13, and 9 terminated widely in TRN and colocalized caudally with projections from temporal auditory, visual, and polymodal association cortices. Population analysis and serial EM reconstruction revealed two distinct classes of corticoreticular terminals synapsing with GABA/parvalbumin-positive dendritic shafts of TRN neurons. Most labeled boutons from prefrontal axons were small, but a second class of large boutons was also prominent. This is in contrast to the homogeneous small TRN terminations from sensory cortices noted previously and in the present study, which are thought to arise exclusively from layer VI. The two bouton types were often observed on the same axon, suggesting that both prefrontal layers V and VI could project to TRN. The dual mode of termination suggests a more complex role of prefrontal input in the functional regulation of TRN and gating of thalamic output back to the cortex. The targeting of sensory tiers of TRN by specific prefrontal areas may underlie attentional regulation for the selection of relevant sensory signals and suppression of distractors.

GABA(B) receptors in the centromedian/parafascicular thalamic nuclear complex: an ultrastructural analysis of GABA(B)R1 and GABA(B)R2 in the monkey thalamus.

Strong gamma-aminobutyric acid type B (GABA(B)) receptor binding has been shown throughout the thalamus, but the distribution of the two GABA(B) receptor subunits, GABA(B) receptor subunit 1 (GABA(B)R1) and GABA(B) receptor subunit 2 (GABA(B)R2), remains poorly characterized. In primates, the caudal intralaminar nuclei, centromedian and parafascicular (CM/PF), are an integral part of basal ganglia circuits and a main source of inputs to the striatum. In this study, we analyzed the subcellular and subsynaptic distribution of GABA(B) receptor subunits by using light and electron microscopic immunocytochemical techniques. Quantitative immunoperoxidase and immunogold analysis showed that both subunits display a similar pattern of distribution in CM/PF, being expressed largely at extrasynaptic and perisynaptic sites in neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, and axon-like processes and less abundantly in axon terminals. Postsynaptic GABA(B)R1 labeling was found mostly on the plasma membrane (70-80%), whereas GABA(B)R2 was more evenly distributed between the plasma membrane and intracellular compartments of CM/PF neurons. A few axon terminals forming symmetric and asymmetric synapses were also labeled for GABA(B)R1 and GABA(B)R2, but the bulk of presynaptic labeling was expressed in small axon-like processes. About 20% of presynaptic vesicle-containing dendrites of local circuit neurons displayed GABA(B)R1/R2 immunoreactivity. Vesicular glutamate transporters (vGluT1)-containing terminals forming asymmetric synapses expressed GABA(B)R1 and/or displayed postsynaptic GABA(B)R1 at the edges of their asymmetric specialization. Overall, these findings provide evidence for multiple sites where GABA(B) receptors could modulate GABAergic and glutamatergic transmission in the primate CM/PF complex.

Characteristics of small neurons of the reticular thalamic nucleus in WAG/Rij rats.

The aim of the present work was to study the ultrastructure of small neurons in the reticular thalamic nucleus (RTN) in WAG/Rij rats, which are used as a model of absence epilepsy. A total of 24 rats were studied. The brains of 10 rats were used for studies of the cytoarchitectonics and cytological characteristics of neurons, for which paraffin sections were stained with cresyl violet by the Nissl method. Electron microscopic studies were performed by microscope-controlled harvesting of the RTN with fixation in 2.5% glutaraldehyde in phosphate buffer pH 7.4. Small neurons were found to account for 5-8% of all neurons in the RTN. These had oval bodies, sparse and pale-staining cytoplasm, and were frequently located in pairs. The ultrastructure of these neurons was characterized by poor development of cell membranes, branching of the axon close to the cell body, and multiple axon contacts with the body and dendrites. It is suggested that these neurons are short-axon neurons.

[Characteristics of small neurons in the reticular thalamic nucleus of WAG/Rij rat].

The aim of this investigation was to study the ultrastructure of small neurons in the reticular thalamic nucleus (RTN) in rats of the WAG/Rij strain, which is a recognized model for human absence epilepsy. 24 rats were used in these studies. The paraffin sections of the brain taken from 10 rats were stained with Nissl's cresyl violet and were used for the study of neuronal cytoarchitecture and cytological characteristics. For electron microscopic study, RTN was dissected under microscopic control and fixed in cooled 2.5% glutaraldehyde solution in 0.1 M sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). Small neurons were found to constitute 5-8% of the total number of RTN neurons. They had ovoid cell body, scanty pale-staining cytoplasm, often were seen in pairs. The ultrastructure of these neurons was characterized by poor development of membranes, axonal branching close to the cell body, multiple contacts of axon with cell body and dendrites. It is suggested that the neurons described are short-axonal.

Differential distribution of the KCl cotransporter KCC2 in thalamic relay and reticular nuclei.

In the thalamus of the rat the reversal potential of GABA-induced anion currents is more negative in relay cells than in neurones of the reticular nucleus (nRt) due to different chloride extrusion mechanisms operating in these cells. The distribution of KCl cotransporter type 2 (KCC2), the major neuronal chloride transporter that may underlie this effect, is unknown in the thalamus. In this study the precise regional and ultrastructural localization of KCC2 was examined in the thalamus using immunocytochemical methods. The neuropil of all relay nuclei was found to display intense KCC2 immunostaining to varying degrees. In sharp contrast, the majority of the nRt was negative for KCC2. In the anterior and dorsal part of the nRt, however, KCC2 immunostaining was similar to relay nuclei and parvalbumin and calretinin were found to colocalize with KCC2. At the ultrastructural level, KCC2 immunoreactivity was mainly located in the extrasynaptic membranes of thick and thin dendrites and the somata of relay cells but was also found in close association with asymmetrical synapses formed by cortical afferents. Quantitative evaluation of KCC2 distribution at the electron microscopic level demonstrated that the density of KCC2 did not correlate with dendritic diameter or synaptic coverage but is 1.7 times higher on perisynaptic membrane surfaces than on extrasynaptic membranes. Our data demonstrate that the regional distribution of KCC2 is compatible with the difference in GABA-A reversal potential between relay and reticular nuclei. At the ultrastructural level, abundant extrasynaptic KCC2 expression will probably play a role in the regulation of extrasynaptic GABA-A receptor-mediated inhibition.

Rat intralaminar thalamic nuclei projections to the globus pallidus: a biotinylated dextran amine anterograde tracing study.

The topographical organization and ultrastructural features of the intralaminar thalamic nuclei (ITN) projections to the globus pallidus (GP) were studied using the biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) anterograde tracing method in the rat. To assess the functional association of BDA injection sites in the ITN, the known topographical organization of the ITN-neostriatal (Str) projections and calcium binding protein (CaBP) immunostaining patterns of the Str and GP were used. BDA injection in the lateral part of the lateral parafascicular nucleus and the caudal part of the central lateral nucleus labeled fibers and boutons mainly in the dorsolateral sensorimotor territory of the Str and the middle territories of the GP. BDA injection in the medial part of the lateral parafascicular nucleus and the central lateral nucleus labeled mainly the middle association territory of the Str and the border and the caudomedial territories of the GP. BDA injection in the medial parafascicular nucleus and the central medial nucleus labeled mainly the medial limbic territory of the Str. The medial parafascicular nucleus projected to the medial-most region of the GP, while the central medial nucleus projection to the GP was very sparse. Electron microscopic observations indicated that BDA-labeled boutons form asymmetric synapses mainly on 0.5-2.0 microm diameter dendritic shafts in the GP. The boutons were small but had a relatively long active zone. The present observations together with the known topographical organization of striatopallidal projections indicated that the ITN-GP projections were topographically organized in parallel to the ITN-Str projections. Thus, each part of the ITN projecting to the sensorimotor, the association, and the limbic territories of the Str also projects to the corresponding functional territories of the GP.