Neurons of the pretectal area convey spinal input to the motor thalamus of the cat.

The aim of this study was to corroborate lesioning work (Mackel and Noda 1989), suggesting the pretectal area of the rostral midbrain acts as a relay between the spinal cord and the ventrolateral (VL) nucleus of the thalamus. For this purpose, extracellular recordings were made from neurons in the pretectal area which were antidromically activated by stimulation in the rostral thalamus, particularly in VL. The neurons were tested for input from the dorsal columns of the spinal cord, the dorsal column nuclei, and the ventral quadrant of the spinal cord. Latencies of the antidromic responses ranged between 0.6 and 3.0 ms (median 1.0 ms): no differences in latencies were associated with either location of the neurons in the pretectal area or with the site of their thalamic projection. Orthodromic responses to stimulation of ascending pathways were seen in the majority of neurons throughout the pretectal area sampled. Latencies of orthodromic responses varied considerably, with ranges of 0.9-9 ms, 6-20 ms, and 2.5-20 ms upon stimulating the dorsal column nuclei, dorsal columns, and ventrolateral quadrant, respectively. The shortest-latency responses to stimulation of the dorsal column nuclei or of the ventral quadrant were likely to be monosynaptic. Temporal and spatial facilitation of the responses to ascending input were common. The data show that neurons of the pretectal area are capable of relaying somatosensory input ascending from the spinal cord to the rostral thalamus. It is suggested that the pretectofugal output to VL converges with cerebellar input in VL neurons and becomes incorporated in cerebello-cerebral interactions and, ultimately, the control of movement.