NON-LEMNISCAL INTEGRATION IN VENTROBASAL THALAMUS

这项建议是关于“非丘系”的转换 丘脑皮质中继细胞输出的传入输入 猫丘脑腹侧基底核（VB）。 这种机制 可以形成一个基本的基础，为感官的歧视， 因此，在未来的研究中， 关于疼痛缓解在正常和病理状态。 具体目的是：（1）确定 个体终末分支特征 VB中脊髓丘脑（STT）和颈丘脑（CTT）束轴突， (2)确定STT和CTT轴突终末的关系， 丘脑皮层中继神经元和内源性神经元;（3）检测丘脑皮层神经元的活动， 形态学特征和确切的突触模式 单个、功能鉴定和轴突内标记的STT 和CTT终端乔木在VB，（4）相关的差异， 非丘系和丘系传入神经的突触模式， 功能特性的差异。 三个主要的实验组将在两个 光学和电子显微镜水平：（a）形态分析 顺行的分支和终止模式 VB中标记的STT和CTT轴突，（B）一项结合 顺行标记STT和CTT的形态学分析 轴突终末及其突触后特征 VB中的目标，以及（c）单独的生理研究 利用轴突内标记鉴定STT和CTT纤维 技术来建立结构/功能关系的非 丘系传入纤维在VB。

This proposal is concerned with the conversion of "non-lemniscal" afferent input into thalamocortical relay cell output in the ventrobasal (VB) nuclei of the cat thalamus. Such mechanisms may form a fundamental basis for the sensory discriminative aspects of pain, and as such, become important in future studies concerning pain relief in both te normal and pathologic states. The specific aims are: (1) determine the morphological characteristics of the terminal arborizations of individual spinothalamic (STT) and cervicothalamic (CTT) tract axons in VB, (2) determine the relationships of STT and CTT axon terminals to thalamcortical relay and intrinsic neurons in VB, (3) examine the morophological characteristics and exact synaptic patterns of individual, functionally identified and intra-axonally labeled STT and CTT terminal arbors in VB, (4) correlate differences in the synaptic patterns of non-lemnisal and lemniscal afferents with differences in their functional properties. Three primary sets of experiments are to be conducted at both light and electron microscopic levels: (a) a morphological analysis of the branching and termination patterns of anterogradely labeled STT and CTT axons in VB, (b) a study combining the morphological analysis of anterogradely labeled STT and CTT axon terminations with the characterization of their postsynaptic targets in VB, and (c) a physiological study of individually identified STT and CTT fibers utilizing intraxonal labeling techniques to establish structure/function relationships of non- lemniscal afferent fibers in VB.