Athetoid and choreiform hyperkinesias produced by caudate lesions in the cat.

Small, unilateral lesions, which damage exclusively the anteroventral region of the caudate nucleus of the cat, produce a stable and permanent behavioral change resembling human athetoid and choreiform hyperkinesias. These symptoms are not seen after generalized destrulction of the caudate nuicleuts.

Activity of neurons in the putamen associated with wrist movements in the monkey.

A study was made of 238 neurons in the putamen which exhibited phasic modulation in discharge rate during movements of the wrist against different torque loads. In 65 of these cells, the timing and magnitude of firing closely resembled electromyographic (EMG) activity in forearm agonist muscles at different torque loads. The latency of modulation in unit firing rate in 95% of these cells (n = 62) lagged the onset of EMG activity.

Projection of the digit and wrist area of precentral gyrus to the putamen: relation between topography and physiological properties of neurons in the putamen.

The autoradiographic technique was used to examine the projection from the digit and wrist area of the precentral gyrus to the putamen in two macaque monkeys. Motor responses elicited by intracortical microstimulation were mapped to guide selection of the site of injection of isotope. Additionally, an electrophysiological study of the activity of putamen neurons during voluntary movements of the distal arm in an awake monkey was performed prior to the anatomical study in one of the animals. Two major findings resulted from this study. Firstly, the area of representation of the digits and wrist in area 4 gives rise to a substantial projection to the putamen. The distribution of terminals consisted of a simple pattern of clusters at anterior levels of the putamen. At caudal levels in the putamen, the clusters merged into a single diagonal band of label. This basic pattern was found to be virtually identical in the two monkeys. Secondly, the location of neurons in the putamen which were activated during voluntary movements of the distal arm was closely associated with the terminal distribution of fibers from the digit and wrist zone of area 4. These data provide strong evidence to support the idea that the putamen is concerned with motor function of distal muscles of the arm, and that the topographic characteristics of the corticoputamen projection are closely related to the physiological properties of individual neurons in the putamen.

The corticostriatal projection in cat: relation between axon terminals and evoked potentials.

Because of the potential value of evoked potential methods in evaluating striatal organization, a study was made to examine the reliability of evoked potentials in demonstrating the fine topographic details of the corticostriatal projection in comparison with the autoradiographic fiber-tracing method. The present data indicate a close relation between the distribution of striatal evoked potentials to electrical stimulation of a specific site in the motor cortex and the distribution of axon terminals emanating from that same cortical site in the same animal.

Activity of neurons in putamen during active and passive movements of wrist.

Recent studies have shown that many neurons in the basal ganglia have patterns of activity that are closely related to various parameters of active movements of the arm. The topographical distribution of these cells suggests that they are influenced by afferents from primary motor and sensory areas of the cerebral cortex. Although there is abundant evidence that information from peripheral receptors is relayed to the basal ganglia, relatively little information is available on whether neurons related to active movement are influenced by peripheral inputs. The present study was undertaken to provide information on this problem by comparing responses of putamen neurons to active and passive movements of the wrist. Two monkeys were trained to place their hand in a manipulandum and actively extend and flex their wrist against opposing torque loads. Additionally, they were trained to accept 1) passive step displacements of the wrist by the experimenter, which were comparable in amplitude, duration, and velocity to active movements, and 2) brief rapid displacements generated by a pulse of torque applied to the manipulandum by a motor. An extensive electromyographic (EMG) study was made prior to unit recording to characterize patterns of muscle activity during active and passive movements. A sample of 82 neurons was isolated in the putamen on the basis of a phasic burst of spikes associated with active movement of the wrist. Most (80%) of these cells showed directionally specific responses. The onset latency of unit firing in 91% of the cells lagged behind the onset of EMG activity in forearm agonist muscles. Phasic unit discharge during active movement increased with increasing opposing torque loads in 59% of the sample. The rate-torque curves for most of these cells were curvilinear (plateau occurred at heavy torque loads), although some cells showed a linear relationship. A comparison of these neuronal activity patterns with EMG activity-torque curves suggests that most of the cells were related to activity in forearm muscles and not to activity in proximal or axial muscles. The functional significance of these findings is interpreted in light of recent physiological and anatomic studies of the basal ganglia. A substantial proportion (44%) of the units that were related to active wrist movements showed an excitatory response during passive step displacements of the wrist in the absence of phasic EMG activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Cortico-striatal evoked potentials in the monkey (Macaca mulatta).

A systematic study has been made of topographic organization in the striatum of evoked potentials elicited by stimulation of the cerebral cortex in unanesthetized, comatose monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Stimulation of the dorsal field of the prefrontal convexity elicited potentials primarily in rostral portions of the caudate, while stimulation of the ventral field of the prefrontal convexity elicited potentials in ventromedial areas of the putamen. Stimulation of different points on the precentral and postcentral gyri revealed a distinct somatopic organization of evoked responses in the putamen, although responsive zones in the putamen to precentral and postcentral stimulation showed almost total overlap. An overlap of responsive zones to stimulation of the dorsal prefrontal convexity and the premotor area (area 6) was found in the dorsolateral part of the rostral caudate, while a zone of overlap of responses to stimulation of the ventral prefrontal convexity and "hand" motor area of the precentral gyrus was found in the ventromedial area of the putamen near the commissural level.

Immunocytochemistry of enkephalin and serotonin distribution in restricted zones of the rostral trigeminal spinal subnuclei: comparisons with subnucleus caudalis.

The spinal trigeminal subnucleus caudalis processes nociceptive input from the head. However, physiological and behavioral studies in monkeys and humans indicate that painful stimuli from the central face and oral cavity also project through trigeminal nuclei rostral to the spinal subnucleus caudalis. Both enkephalin (ENK) and serotonin (5-HT) are present in rostral trigeminal nuclei and these regions receive inputs from the raphe complex. Thus, it appears that elements of pain-modulating circuitry proposed by Basbaum and Fields (Annu. Rev. Neurosci., 7:309-338, 1984) for the spinal and medullary dorsal horn may also exist in this region. In order to begin an exploration of this circuitry, the present study combines the techniques of retrograde transport of HRP from the ventral posteromedial thalamic nucleus (VPM) of the cat's thalamus to label trigeminothalamic relay cells. Secondarily, immunocytochemical techniques are employed to define the distribution patterns of ENK and 5-HT cells and terminals in relationship to both labeled and nonlabeled neurons in each of the subnuclei of the spinal trigeminal nucleus. Trigeminothalamic relay cells were observed in laminae I and II, the magnocellular region, and the interstitial nucleus (IN) of subnucleus caudalis (Vc). ENK was found in axodendritic and axosomatic terminals, together with a population of small fusiform neurons in all these same areas except the magnocellular region. ENK axosomatic contacts innervated approximately 30% of labeled relay cells, chiefly in lamina I and the IN, or small unlabeled neurons in the same area. Serotonin activity occurred principally in lamina I and the IN and was confined almost exclusively to axodendritic terminals. Examination of subnucleus interpolaris (Vi) revealed relay cells distributed throughout the length of the nucleus and increasing in numbers at rostral levels. A rostral extension of the IN was found just ventrolateral to the main body of Vi and contained numerous labeled cells. The distribution of ENK activity was restricted to the ventral part of Vi and the IN and occurred in axodendritic and axosomatic terminals. These latter elements innervated 30-40% of labeled relay cells in Vi, particularly those located in the IN. Cells containing ENK generally resembled the fusiform cells found in Vc and were distributed in ventral Vi and the IN. Some ENK cells were larger, displayed several dendrites, and occurred only in the ventral Vi. Serotonin within Vi and Vc was confined principally to axodendritic terminals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Synaptic substrates for enkephalinergic and serotoninergic interactions with dental primary afferent terminals in trigeminal subnucleus interpolaris: an immunocytochemical study using peroxidase and colloidal gold.

Pain processing in the trigeminal complex has been thought to reside primarily in the spinal subnucleus caudalis (Vc). However, trigeminal tractotomies eliminating primary afferent input to Vc and severance of secondary trigemino-thalamic fibers from Vc do not disturb pain perception from the central face and oral cavity. Furthermore, large numbers of neurons that are highly responsive to noxious stimuli and suppressed by inputs from the periaqueductal gray and raphe complex have been identified in subnuclei interpolaris (Vi) and oralis (Vo). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the distribution and spatial arrangements of nociceptive modulatory transmitters with nociceptive afferents and trigemino-thalamic relay cells in the rostral portion of the spinal trigeminal nuclear complex. The dental pulp contains predominantly nociceptors that project to all three subdivisions of the trigeminal spinal complex. These projections were visualized by anterograde transganglionic transport of horseradish peroxidase or by degeneration following administration of toxic ricin to the pulp chambers. The spatial arrangements of dental primary afferents with enkephalinergic (ENK) and serotoninergic (5HT) inputs was then assessed by employing avidin-biotin peroxidase and protein-A colloidal gold double-labeling immunocytochemistry. Trigemino-thalamic relay cells were also labeled by retrograde transport of HRP after stereotaxic injections into the ventrobasal thalamus. ENK and 5HT immunoreactivity was found in the ventrolateral quadrant and lateral margin of Vi, together with the adjacent interstitial nucleus (IN). This activity extended from the caudal pole of Vi and the periobex region, where it was most dense, rostrally to a position approximately 2.9 mm from the Obex. Neither ENK nor 5HT immunoreactivity was observed in Vo. Primary dental afferents projected into the ventromedial quadrant of rostral Vi and were found in the ventrolateral quadrant and dorsal aspect of the subnucleus farther caudally. They appeared as simple boutons with single contacts or as larger, sometimes scalloped terminals that formed multiple contacts. Postsynaptic elements were usually small dendritic profiles, although relay cell somata rarely received primary afferent inputs. Many primary afferents entered areas of synaptic clustering and contacted enkephalinergic dendrites, some of which were also postsynaptic to serotoninergic synapses. Alternatively, primary afferents contacted unlabeled processes that were also postsynaptic to the enkephalinergic element to form a triad arrangement. The least common occurrence was axo-axonic contacts in which enkephalinergic synapses were presynaptic to primary afferents. Both enkephalinergic and serotoninergic synaptic categories displayed round vesicles and generally formed asymmetric junctions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)