Mono- and disynaptic excitatory inputs from the superior colliculus to vertical saccade-related neurons in the cat...

Excitatory inputs to neurons in the Forel's field H (FFH) related to visually induced vertical saccades from the ipsilateral superior colliculus (SC) were investigated in chronically prepared alert cats. By stimulation of the deep or intermediate layer of the SC, upward augmenting neurons (ANs) and one long-lead downward burst neuron (BN) were found to be activated monosynaptically, while medium-lead BNs were activated disynaptically. The monosynaptically activated neurons were not antidromically activated from the oculomotor nucleus, whereas disynaptically activated neurons were also activated antidromically from the inferior rectus subdivision of the nucleus. These results suggest that an excitatory input to the FFH from the SC for inducing vertical saccades of visual origin first reaches upward ANs and/or long-lead downward BNs in the FFH, which in turn drive medium-lead BNs in the same area synapsing with motoneurons related to vertical eye movements.