Summary
The prevalence of reciprocal connections in the cerebral cortex indicates that they play a fundamental role in the processing of sensory information. We have investigated the laminar termination patterns of such paired connections between different visual cortical areas of the rat, and have found two basic projection types: one which includes layer 4 and a second which includes layer 1 and avoids layer 4. The projections from primary visual cortex (area 17) to extrastriate visual cortical targets in the cytoarchitectonical areas 18a and 18b, and from 18a to a site in 18b, are of the first type. In contrast, the return projections from 18a and 18b to area 17 and from 18b to 18a, are of the second type. Thus each pair of connections has one element of each type, giving every circuit a nearly identical asymmetric structure. These laminar patterns resemble those of forward and feedback connections in primate cortex, indicating that cortico-cortical connectivity patterns are highly conserved through evolution, and that, as in monkeys, these connections define a hierarchical organization of areas in rat visual cortex.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bullier J, Kennedy H, Salinger W (1984) Branching and laminar origin of projections between visual cortical areas in the cat. J Comp Neurol 228:329–341
Coogan TA, Burkhalter A (1988) Sequential development of connections between striate and extrastriate visual cortical areas in the rat. J Comp Neurol 278:242–252
Espinoza CG, Thomas HC (1983) Retinotopic organization of striate and extrastriate visual cortex in the hooded rat. Brain Res 272:137–144
Fitzpatrick KA, Imig TJ (1980) Auditory cortico-cortical connections in the owl monkey. J Comp Neurol 192:589–610
Friedman DP, Murray EA, O'Neill JB, Mishkin M (1986) Cortical connections of the somatosensory fields of the lateral sulcus of macaques: evidence for a corticolimbic pathway for touch. J Comp Neurol 252:323–347
Galaburda AM, Pandya DN (1983) The intrinsic, architectonic, and connectional organization of the superior temporal region in the rhesus monkey. J Comp Neurol 221:169–184
Gerfen CR, Sawchenko PE (1984) An anterograde neuroanatomical tracing method that shows the detailed morphology of neurons, their axons and terminals: immunohistochemical localization of an axonally transported lectin, Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L). Brain Res 290:219–238
Gilbert CD, Kelly JP (1975) The projections of cells in different layers of the cat's visual cortex. J Comp Neurol 163:81–106
Hughes HC (1977) Anatomical and neurobehavioral investigations concerning the thalamocortical organization of the rat's visual system. J Comp Neurol 175:311–336
Jones EG, Wise SP (1977) Size, laminar and columnar distribution of efferent cells in the sensory-motor cortex of monkeys. J Comp Neurol 175:391–438
Jones EG, Coulter JD, Hendry SHC (1978) Intracortical connectivity of architectonic fields in the somatic sensory, motor and parietal cortex of monkeys. J Comp Neurol 181:291–348
Kaas JH, Lin CS, Wagor E (1977) Cortical projections of posterior parietal cortex in owl monkeys. J Comp Neurol 171:387–408
Krieg WJS (1946) Connections of the cerebral cortex. I. The albino rat. B. Structure of the cortical areas. J Comp Neurol 84:278–323
Lund JS, Fitzpatrick D, Humphrey AL (1985) The striate visual cortex of the tree shrew. In: Peters A, Jones EG (eds) Cerebral cortex, Vol. 3. Visual cortex. Plenum, New York, pp 157–205
Lund JS, Henry GH, Macqueen CL, Harvey AR (1979) Anatomical organization of the primary visual cortex (area 17) of the cat: a comparison with the monkey. J Comp Neurol 184:599–618
Maunsell JHR, Van Essen DC (1983) The connections of the middle temporal visual area (MT) and their relationship to a cortical hierarchy in the macaque monkey. J Neurosci 3:2563–2586
Miller MW, Vogt BA (1984) Direct connections of rat visual cortex with sensory, motor, and association cortices. J Comp Neurol 226:184–202
Montero VM, Bravo H, Fernandez V (1973) Striate-peristriate cortico-cortical connections in the albino and gray rat. Brain Res 53:202–207
Olavarria J, Montero VM (1981) Reciprocal connections between the striate cortex and extrastriate cortical visual areas in the rat. Brain Res 217:358–363
Olavarria J, Montero VM (1984) Relation of callosal and striate-extrastriate cortical connections in the rat: morphological definition of extrastriate visual areas. Exp Brain Res 54:240–252
Rockland KS, Pandya DN (1979) Laminar origins and terminations of cortical connections of the occipital lobe in the rhesus monkey. Brain Res 179:3–20
Symonds LL, Rosenquist AC (1984) Laminar origins of visual cortico-cortical connections in the cat. J Comp Neurol 229:39–47
Thomas HC, Espinoza SG (1987) Relationships between interhemispheric cortical connections and visual areas in hooded rats. Brain Res 417:214–224
Tigges J, Tigges M, Anschel S, Cross NA, Letbetter WD, McBride RL (1981) Areal and laminar distribution of neurons interconnecting the central visual cortical areas 17, 18, 19, and MT in squirrel monkey (Saimiri). J Comp Neurol 202:539–560
Tigges J, Tigges M, Perachio AA (1977) Complementary laminar terminations of afferents to area 17 originating in area 18 and in the lateral geniculate nucleus in the squirrel monkey. J Comp Neurol 176:87–100
Ungerleider LG, Desimone R (1986) Cortical connections of visual area MT in the macaque. J Comp Neurol 248:190–222
Van Essen DC (1985) Functional organization of primate visual cortex. In: Peters A, Jones EG (eds) Cerebral cortex, Vol. 3. Visual cortex. Plenum, New York, pp 259–320
Wise SP, Jones EG (1977) Cells of origin and terminal distribution of descending projections of the rat somatic sensory cortex. J Comp Neurol 175:129–158
Weller RE, Kaas JH (1983) Retinotopic organization of connections of area 17 with visual areas V-II and MT in macaque monkeys. J Comp Neurol 220:253–279
Wong-Riley M (1978) Reciprocal connections between striate and peristriate cortex in squirrel monkey demonstrated by combined peroxidase histochemistry and autoradiography. Brain Res 147:159–164
Woolsey CN (1981) Cortical sensory organization. Humana Press, Clifton NJ
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Coogan, T.A., Burkhalter, A. Conserved patterns of cortico-cortical connections define areal hierarchy in rat visual cortex. Exp Brain Res 80, 49–53 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00228846
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00228846