NON-LEMNISCAL INTEGRATION IN VENTROBASAL THALAMUS

该提案涉及“非语系”的转换 丘脑皮质中继细胞的传入输入输出 猫丘脑的腹基底核 (VB)。 这样的机制 可以为感官辨别奠定基础 疼痛的各个方面，因此在未来的研究中变得重要 关于正常和病理状态下的疼痛缓解。 具体目标是：（1）确定形态 个体末端树枝化特征 VB 中的脊髓丘脑 (STT) 和颈丘脑 (CTT) 束轴突， (2)确定STT和CTT轴突末端的关系 VB 中的丘脑皮层中继和内在神经元，(3) 检查 形态特征和精确的突触模式 个体、功能识别和轴突内标记的 STT 和 VB 中的 CTT 端子轴，(4) 关联差异 非丘系和丘系传入神经的突触模式 它们的功能特性的差异。 将在两个地点进行三组主要实验 光和电子显微镜水平：(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) 一项结合了 顺行标记的STT和CTT的形态学分析 轴突终止及其突触后特征 VB 中的目标，以及 (c) 单独的生理学研究 利用轴突内标记识别 STT 和 CTT 纤维 建立非结构/功能关系的技术 VB 中的丘系传入纤维。

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.