Organization of cerebral cortico-olivary projections in the rat

Injection of wheatgerm agglutinin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase into electrophysiologically identified portions of the rodent sensorimotor and medial frontal cortex revealed anterograde-labeled projections to the inferior olivary complex. Forelimb motor cortical and supplementary motor cortical regions were found to project predominantly to the principal olive while forelimb sensory cortex fibers distributed mainly within the dorsal accessory olive. Forelimb cortical fibers (both sensory and motor) terminated more rostrally and medially in the medial and dorsal accessory olives than did hindlimb projections. Medial frontal cortex projected to the beta subnucleus, the rostral medial accessory olive (especially the ventral aspect), and to the ventrolateral outgrowth of the dorsal cap. These findings indicate a more extensive origin for cortico-olivary projections than previously described for rats or cats and they demonstrate a rather precise topography for olivary projections from various cortical regions.