Cortical connections of the inferior arcuate sulcus cortex in the macaque brain

Abstract

Injections of the retrograde/anterograde tracers Wheat Germ Agglutinin-Horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) into the cortex along the banks of the inferior limb of the arcuate sulcus in the cortex of 4 macaque monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) were used to investigate its cortico-cortical connections. All injections produced transported label within the sulcus principalis, the ventral lateral prefrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate sulcus and the dorsal insular cortex. The distribution of label within each of these areas differed slightly depending on the injection site. Injections along the caudal bank of the inferior arcuate sulcus label premotor, supplementary motor, and precentral motor areas but produce relatively sparse prefrontal labeling. Posteriorly label is transported to the inferior parietal cortex and the dorsal opercular bank of the Sylvian fissure. Injections along the rostral bank of the sulcus do not label motor areas but produce labeling in dorsal, lateral and orbital prefrontal areas, and in cortex along the ventral bank of the superior branch of the arcuate sulcus. Posteriorly label is transported to cortical areas in the superior temporal gyrus including the dorsal bank of the superior temporal sulcus. The more dorsal rostral bank injection produced both superior temporal and some sparse inferior parietal labeling and the more ventral rostral bank injection produced extensive superior temporal labeling but no parietal labeling. No labeling was ever seen in cortex ventral to the fundus of the superior temporal sulcus. Although other auditory recipient prefrontal areas have been reported, this is the first demonstration of a region chiefly devoted to auditory connections within the ventral frontal cortex. Its adjacency to areas associated with vocal muscle movement, and its connections to midline cortical areas associated with vocal functions in both primates and humans may provide important clues to the organization of Broca's language area.