Topographic segregation of corticostriatal projections from posterior parietal subdivisions in the macaque monkey

The distribution of corticostriatal projections from areas 7m, 7a, 7b and 7ip of the posterior parietal cortex was studied in rhesus monkeys using horseradish peroxidase conjugated with wheat-germ agglutinin as an anterograde tracer. All parietal subdivisions project bilaterally over a broad anteroposterior expanse of the caudate nucleus and putamen; however, the zones of densest terminal labeling varied for each parietal subdivision. Thus, area 7m projects preferentially to dorsal and dorsolateral portions of the head and anterior part of the body of the caudate nucleus. The main striatal target of area 7a is also in the head and anterior portion of the body of the caudate nucleus, but at dorsal and dorsomedial zones. The preferential target region of area 7ip in the striatum is in the posterior two-thirds of the body of the caudate nucleus, where the labeled terminals spare only the medial border. In contrast to the other parietal subdivisions, 7b projects preferentially to the putamen. In this nucleus, the location of labeling after 7b injections appears to correspond to the zones containing the representations of the distal forelimb and head. Each parietal subdivision projects to a rather extended anteroposterior domain in the contralateral neostriatum, the projection zones being always less extensive than in the ipsilateral side, but with a similar topographic distribution. Because we have shown previously that each parietal subdivision is part of a distinct distributed corticocortical network, the neostriatal territories innervated by each subdivision can be correlated with the corresponding network, thus providing insight into the functional specializations of the striatum.