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Projections from the lateral vestibular nucleus to the spinal cord in the mouse

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Abstract

The present study investigated the projections from the lateral vestibular nucleus (LVe) to the spinal cord using retrograde and anterograde tracers. Retrogradely labeled neurons were found after fluoro-gold injections into both the cervical and lumbar cord, with a smaller number of labeled neurons seen after lumbar cord injections. Labeled neurons in the LVe were found in clusters at caudal levels of the nucleus, and a small gap separated these clusters from labeled neurons in the spinal vestibular nucleus (SpVe). In the anterograde study, BDA-labeled fiber tracts were found in both the ventral and ventrolateral funiculi on the ipsilateral side. These fibers terminated in laminae 6–9. Some fibers were continuous with boutons in contact with motor neurons in both the medial and lateral motor neuron columns. In the lumbar and sacral segments, some collaterals from the ipsilateral vestibulospinal tracts were found on the contralateral side, and these fibers mainly terminated in laminae 6–8. The present study reveals for the first time the fiber terminations of the lateral vestibular nucleus in the mouse spinal cord and therefore enhances future functional studies of the vestibulospinal system.

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Abbreviations

2SpL:

Lamina 2 of the spinal gray, lateral part

3Sp:

Lamina 3 of the spinal gray

4Sp:

Lamina 4 of the spinal gray

4V:

4th ventricle

5SpM:

Lamina 5 of the spinal gray, medial part

5SpL:

Lamina 5 of the spinal gray, lateral part

6Sp:

Lamina 5 of the spinal gray

7n:

Facial nerve

7N:

Facial nucleus

7Sp:

Lamina 7 of the spinal gray

8Sp:

Lamina 8 of the spinal gray

10Sp:

Area 10 of the spinal gray

Ax9:

Axial muscle motoneurons of lamina 9

Bi9:

Biceps motoneurons of lamina 9

C4:

4th cervical segment

C5:

5th cervical segment

C6:

6th cervical segment

CC:

Central canal

contra:

Contralateral

cu:

Cuneate fasciculus

DAB:

3,3′-Diaminobenzidine

DC:

Dorsal cochlear nucleus

De9:

Deltoid muscle motoneurons of lamina 9

dcs:

Dorsal corticospinal tract

dr:

Dorsal root

Fl:

Flocculus

GAD:

Glutamic acid decarboxylase

Gi:

Gigantocellular reticular nucleus

icp:

Inferior cerebellar peduncle

IMM:

Intermediomedial column

IntA:

Interposed cerebellar nucleus, anterior part

IO:

Inferior olive

ipsi:

Ipsilateral

L3:

3rd lumbar segment

L4:

4th lumbar segment

L6:

6th lumbar segment

Lat:

Lateral cerebellar nucleus

lf:

Lateral funiculus

LSp:

Lateral spinal nucleus

LVe:

Lateral vestibular nucleus

Med:

Medial cerebellar nucleus

mlf:

Medial longitudinal fasciculus

MVeMC:

Medial vestibular nucleus, magnocellular part

MVePC:

Medial vestibular nucleus, parvicellular part

PFl:

Paraflocculus

Pr:

Prepositus nucleus

py:

Pyramidal tract

rs:

Rubrospinal tract

scp:

Superior cerebellar peduncle

SI9:

Supraspinatus and infraspinatus motoneurons of lamina 9

sp5:

Spinal trigeminal tract

Sr9:

Serratus anterior motoneurons in lamina 9

SuVe:

Superior vestibular nucleus

T7:

7th thoracic segment

VCPO:

Ventral cochlear nucleus, posterior part, octopus cell area

vGluT2:

Vesicular glutamate transporter 2

vmf:

Ventromedial fissure

vr:

Ventral root

vwc:

Ventral white commissure

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuroscience Research Australia, Cnr Barker Street and Hospital Road, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia

    Huazheng Liang, Timea Bácskai, Charles Watson & George Paxinos

  2. Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia

    Charles Watson

  3. School of Medical Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia

    George Paxinos

Authors
  1. Huazheng Liang
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  2. Timea Bácskai
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  3. Charles Watson
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  4. George Paxinos
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to George Paxinos.

Additional information

H. Liang and T. Bácskai made an equal contribution to this work.

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Liang, H., Bácskai, T., Watson, C. et al. Projections from the lateral vestibular nucleus to the spinal cord in the mouse. Brain Struct Funct 219, 805–815 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-013-0536-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-013-0536-4

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