Cerebellar projections to the lateral posterior-pulvinar thalamic complex in the cat

Abstract

Stereotaxic injections of horseradish peroxidase in the subdivisions of the lateral posterior-pulvinar thalamic complex were made in adult cats. Labeled neurons were found in the ventrolateral part of the contralateral lateral cerebellar nucleus. Cerebellar-positive neurons were more abundant after injections situated in the lateralis intermedius oralis, lateralis intermedius caudalis and rostral pulvinar nuclei, while they were scarce or absent when the injections were located in the extra-geniculate visual subdivision of the lateral posterior-pulvinar complex (lateralis posterior lateralis and lateralis posterior medialis nuclei). These projections give an anatomical substrate to support the cerebellar modulation of the lateral posterior-pulvinar complex motor activities as well as its dinamogenic cortical functions.