CONTROL OF CENTRAL VISUAL PATHWAYS BY THE BRAINSTEM

丘脑外侧膝状体核（LGN）位于丘脑的主要核团中。 眼睛和视觉皮层之间的神经通路，它控制着 在很大程度上是通过影响 脑干中特定的核团。 脑干的通路可以 强烈影响LGN，并被认为反映了行为状态， 例如唤醒或注意以及眼球运动的发生。 然而， 这些脑干回路的解剖学和生理学并不是很好 明白 这项研究将提供一个全面的，多学科的 描述脑干的结构和功能影响， 的LGN。 在这样做时，这些研究将更普遍地阐明 丘脑在将感觉信息传递到e皮质中的作用，以及 他们将有助于理解一个关键的神经元素的作用， 视野 目的1和3是证明电和化学的影响， 单个脑干核团在细胞外和细胞内 LGN细胞对视觉刺激的反应。 目的2和4是描述，在 在光镜和电镜水平上， 顺行示踪剂、脑干神经元的形态和超微结构 投射到外侧膝状体和其他丘脑核团。 目标5是确认和 描述了关键的丘脑通路，脑干通过这些通路间接地 控制LGN。

The thalamic lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) is found in the primary neural pathway between the eye and visual cortex, and it controls the flow of visual information to the brain in large measure through the influence of specific nuclei in the brainstem. Pathways from the brainstem can powerfully effect the LGN and are believed to reflect behavioral states, such as arousal or attention and the occurrence of eye movements. HOwever, the anatomy and physiology of these brainstem circuits are not well understood. This research will provide a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary description of the structural and functional influences of the brainstem on the LGN. In doing so, these studies will elucidate, more generally, the role of the thalamus in relaying sensory information to the e cortex, and they will aid in understanding the role of a key neural element underlying vision. Aims 1 and 3 are to demonstrate the effects of electrical and chemical activation of individual brainstem nuclei on the extra- and intracellular responses of LGN cells to visual stimuli. Aims 2 and 4 are to describe, at the light and electron microscopic level by means of retrograde and anterograde tracers, the morphology and ultrastructure of brainstem neurons that project to the LGN and other thalamic nuclei. Aim 5 is to confirm and describe key thalamic pathways through which the brainstem indirectly controls the LGN.