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A central mesencephalic reticular formation projection to the Edinger–Westphal nuclei

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Abstract

The central mesencephalic reticular formation, a region associated with horizontal gaze control, has recently been shown to project to the supraoculomotor area in primates. The Edinger–Westphal nucleus is found within the supraoculomotor area. It has two functionally and anatomically distinct divisions: (1) the preganglionic division, which contains motoneurons that control both the actions of the ciliary muscle, which focuses the lens, and the sphincter pupillae muscle, which constricts the iris, and (2) the centrally projecting division, which contains peptidergic neurons that play a role in food and fluid intake, and in stress responses. In this study, we used neuroanatomical tracers in conjunction with immunohistochemistry in Macaca fascicularis monkeys to examine whether either of these Edinger–Westphal divisions receives synaptic input from the central mesencephalic reticular formation. Anterogradely labeled reticular axons were observed making numerous boutonal associations with the cholinergic, preganglionic motoneurons of the Edinger–Westphal nucleus. These associations were confirmed to be synaptic contacts through the use of confocal and electron microscopic analysis. The latter indicated that these terminals generally contained pleomorphic vesicles and displayed symmetric, synaptic densities. Examination of urocortin-1-positive cells in the same cases revealed fewer examples of unambiguous synaptic relationships, suggesting the centrally projecting Edinger–Westphal nucleus is not the primary target of the projection from the central mesencephalic reticular formation. We conclude from these data that the central mesencephalic reticular formation must play a here-to-for unexpected role in control of the near triad (vergence, lens accommodation and pupillary constriction), which is used to examine objects in near space.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the help of Jinrong Wei in the histological preparation of the light microscopic material and Glenn Hoskins for preparing the material for ultrastructural examination. We also thank Ahmed Messoudi for excellent technical assistance in preparation of double immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescence staining.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA

    Paul J. May & Susan Warren

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA

    Paul J. May

  3. Department of Neurology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA

    Paul J. May

  4. Department of Program in Neuroscience, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA

    Martin O. Bohlen

  5. Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology I, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Pettenkoferstrasse 11, 80336, Munich, Germany

    Miriam Barnerssoi & Anja K. E. Horn

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  1. Paul J. May
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  5. Anja K. E. Horn
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Correspondence to Anja K. E. Horn.

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Conflict of interest

This study was funded by National Institutes of Health of the USA, National Eye Institute grant EY014263 awarded to PJM, SW and AH. In addition, the contribution of MB was supported by DFG Research Training Group 1091, Klinikum Großhadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest pursuant to the publication of this research.

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May, P.J., Warren, S., Bohlen, M.O. et al. A central mesencephalic reticular formation projection to the Edinger–Westphal nuclei. Brain Struct Funct 221, 4073–4089 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-015-1147-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-015-1147-z

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