Anatomic connections of inferior parietal cortex (area 7) with subcortical structures related to vestibulo-ocular...

Connections of the posterior parietal cortex (area 7) with subcortical structures related to the vestibulo-ocular function were studied on four macaque monkeys by using anterograde and retrograde tracer. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) or tritiated amino acids were injected into the posterior part of area 7, including the caudal end of the superior bank of both the superior temporal sulcus and the lateral sulcus. The posterior parietal cortex was found to be reciprocally connected with three different ipsilateral thalamic nuclei: the nucleus ventralis posterior inferior, the magnocellular part of the medial geniculate nucleus, and some intralaminar nuclei. Through these connections, area 7 might control the vestibulo-ocular response (VOR) by modulating the ascending vestibular information. This cortical area 7 also projects to the ipsilateral intermediate and deep layers of the superior colliculus and to several ipsilateral pontine nuclei. The dorsolateral pontine nucleus is of particular interest because it is known to be related to smooth pursuit eye movements. Cortical area 7 also was seen to project to the accessory nucleus of Darkschewitsch, to all the vestibular nuclei, and to the nucleus propositus hypoglossi; the last two projections were found to be bilateral with a greater ipsilateral contribution. Efferents from posterior parietal cortex are directed to precise regions within the vestibular nuclei that are specifically involved in vestibulo-ocular reflex, or that are in turn connected with brainstem structures implicated in smooth pursuit eye movements. These connections are consistent with the posterior parietal cortex exerting a multilevel influence on the different systems dealing with eye-head movement coordination.