Cortical projections to the superior colliculus in the macaque monkey: A retrograde study using horseradish peroxidase

Abstract

The topical and laminar distribution of corticotectal cells, as well as their size and morphology, were studied in the macaque monkey with the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) technique. After HRP injections restricted primarily to the superficial layers of the colliculus, labelled cells were found in visual cortex (areas 17, 18, and 19) and both in the frontal eye field (area 8) and the adjacent part of premotor cortex (area 6). The clustering of labelled cells in visual cortex indicated that each of the anatomically and functionally distinct visual areas has its own set of collicular projections. When intermediate and deeper layers of the colliculus were injected, labelled cells were found also in posterior parietal cortex (area 7) where they were concentrated mainly on the posterior bank of the intraparietal fissure, in inferotemporal cortex (areas 20 and 21), in auditory cortex (area 22), in the somatosensory representation SII (anterior bank of sylvian fissure, area 2), in upper insular cortex (area 14), in motor cortex (area 4), in premotor cortex (area 6), and in prefrontal cortex (area 9). In the motor and premotor cortex, labelled cells formed a continuous band which appeared to stretch across finger‐hand‐arm‐shoulder‐neck representation. Similarly, the cluster of labelled cells in area 2 may correspond to the finger‐hand representation of SII. The cortical regions not containing labelled cells were the somatosensory representation SI (areas 3, 1 and 2) and the infraorbital cortex. Labelled cells were restricted to layer V of all cortical areas except in the primary visual cortex, where labelled cells were found in both layer V and layer VI. The size spectrum of corticotectal cells ranged from 14.8 μm (average diameter) in area 17 to 27.8 μm in area 6, comprising cells as small as 8 μm and as large as 45 μm. Labelled cells in posterior parietal (area 7), in auditory (area 22), and in motor cortex (area 4) were small and distributed over only a narrow range of sizes. Those in premotor cortex (area 6) were often large and had a wide range in size distribution. The differences in size and morphology of corticotectal neurons suggest that they do not form a uniform class of neurons.