[Structural characteristics of the mediodorsal nucleus of the cat thalamus]

By means of the light and electron microscopy, construction and architectonics of neurons in the cat thalamus medio-dorsal nucleus are described. Differences in the neuronal body dimentions, their form, number of deferent dendrites and character of axonal branching made it possible to define 3 types of neurons. Applying the method based on retrograde axonal transport of exogenous horse-radish peroxidase, it was demonstrated that neurons of type II, contrary to the existing opinion, send their axons into the prefrontal cortex and, hence, are associative-projective. Ultrastructural difference of axonal terminals, differences in the form and size of synaptic vesicles made it possible to reveal 5 types of presynapses.