The distribution of hypoglossal motoneurons in the dog, rabbit and rat

The distribution of motoneurons innervating the extrinsic tongue muscles was studied in the dog, rabbit and rat using the horseradish peroxidase technique. In these mammals, hypoglossal motoneurons were clustered in roughly ventral (or medial) and dorsal (or lateral) groups. Axons of hypoglossal motoneurons in the ventral (or medial) group passed via the medial branch of the hypoglossal nerve, and those in the dorsal (or lateral) group by way of the lateral branch of the hypoglossal nerve. Motoneurons supplying the geniohyoid or genioglossus muscle were distributed, respectively, in the ventral or lateral aspect of the ventral (or medial) cluster of hypoglossal motoneurons. Hypoglossus and styloglossus motoneurons were located in the lateral aspect of the dorsal (or lateral) cluster. The area of distribution of hypoglossus motoneurons overlapped with that of styloglossus motoneurons. It seems likely that motoneurons innervating intrinsic tongue muscles form the remainder of the hypoglossal nucleus. The largest motoneurons in the hypoglossal nucleus were distributed in the cluster of geniohyoid motoneurons. Thus, in the present study a somatotopic arrangement of motoneurons innervating the extrinsic tongue muscles was found, in keeping with previous studies using the retrograde cell degeneration technique.