The differential projection of two cytoarchitectonic subregions of the inferior parietal lobule of macaque upon the deep layers of the superior colliculus

Abstract

Parietotectal projections were studied in the macaque monkey in experiments designed to compare the distribution of fibers originating in two cytoarchitecturally distinct regions within the inferior parietal lobule: the inferior bank of the intraparietal sulcus (area POa of Seltzer and Pandya, '80) and the adjoining part of area PG (von Bonin and Bailey, '47) on the convexity of the hemisphere, here called PGc. A dense fiber projection from POa to the intermediate and deep layers of the superior colliculus was observed by both anterograde autoradiographic and anterograde horseradish peroxidase methods. In contrast, only faint labeling was seen in the superior colliculus following injections of tritiated amino acids into area PGc on the convexity. In a second set of experiments, injections of horseradish peroxidase were placed in the intermediate and deep layers of the superior colliculus so that the cells of origin of the parietotectal projections could be identified. Many retrogradely labeled neurons were observed in POa, whereas very few labeled neurons were present in any other subdivision of the inferior parietal lobule or in the superior parietal lobule. These findings demonstrate that area POa has a prominent direct efferent projection to a major premotor region of the brainstem oculomotor system and suggest that by virtue of its parietotectal connection, this sulcal subdivision may have functional properties not shared with other subdivisions of the inferior parietal lobule.