Dual mode of projections from the parietal to the motor cortex in the cat

The cortico-cortical projection from area 5 to area 4 gamma was studied in anesthetized cats. Intracortical microstimulation of area 5 produced EPSPs in pyramidal tract (PT) cells in area 4 gamma. Such EPSPs were analysed in a total of 54 fast PT cells. The rising phase of these EPSPs was often composed of fast and slow components. Fast-rising EPSPs (fast component) were produced predominantly by stimulation within layer III of area 5 while slow-rising EPSPs (slow component) were evoked predominantly by stimulation within layer V of area 5. The amplitudes of the fast and slow components of EPSPs produced during repetitive stimulation within layers III and V of area 5 decreased and increased, respectively, with an increase in the stimulus frequency without any appreciable changes in their latency and time-to-peak. The slow component was much less influenced by membrane hyperpolarization than the fast component. Retrogradely labeled neurons were found not only in layer III but also in layer V of area 5 following HRP injection centered on superficial layers (I-III) of area 4 gamma. It is suggested that there are two groups of cortico-cortical neurons in layers III and V of area 5, which may make monosynaptic contact with the proximal and distal sites of fast PT cells in area 4 gamma, respectively.