Segmental and laminar organization of the spinothalamic neurons in cat: evidence for at least five separate clusters

The spinothalamic tract (STT), well known for its role in the relay of information about noxe, temperature, and crude touch, is usually associated with projections from lamina I, but spinothalamic neurons in other laminae have also been reported. In cat, no complete overview exists of the precise location and number of spinal cells that project to the thalamus. In the present study the laminar distribution of retrogradely labeled cells in all spinal segments (C1-Coc2) was investigated after large WGA-HRP injections in the thalamus. The results show that this distribution of STT cells differed greatly between the different spinal segments. Quantitative analysis showed that there exist at least five separate clusters of spinothalamic neurons. Lamina I neurons in cluster A and lamina V neurons in cluster B are mainly found contralaterally throughout the length of the spinal cord. Cluster C neurons are located bilaterally in the ventrolateral part of laminae VI-VII and lamina VIII of the C1-C3 spinal cord. Cluster D neurons were found contralaterally in lamina VI in the C1-C2 segments, and cluster E neurons were located mainly contralaterally in the medial part of laminae VI-VII and lamina VIII of the lumbosacral cord. Most spinothalamic neurons are not located in the enlargements and most spinothalamic neurons are not located in lamina I, as suggested by several other authors. The location of the spinothalamic neurons shows remarkable similarities, but also differences, with the location of spino-periaqueductal gray neurons.