Neuronal organization underlying visually elicited prey orienting in the frog--II. Anatomical studies on the laterality of central projections.

A complete transverse hemisection of the neuraxis just caudal to the optic tectum in the frog, Rana pipiens, results in a failure to orient toward stimuli in one visual hemifield [Kostyk and Grobstein (1986) Neuroscience 21, 41-55]. The extent of the deficit area implies disturbances in the outputs triggered by both tectal lobes. In this paper we report studies aimed at determining more precisely what damage is involved in producing the hemisection deficit, with the broader objective of identifying particular neural structures which may be important in visually elicited orienting. Small lesions at the level of the hemisection which are restricted to the ventromedial white tracts result in an orienting deficit identical to that produced by a complete hemisection. Large lesions which spare the ventromedial white tracts are without significant effect on orienting turns. The finding is consistent with the hypothesis that the hemisection deficit results from interruption of tectal outflow paths. Interestingly, partial damage of the ventromedial white tracts does not result in disconnection of any local tectal region from premotor circuitry but instead systematically alters the turns triggered from all tectal regions. Ventrolateral lesions at the same level do not produce deficits in orienting but do disturb optokinetic behavior. Introduction of horseradish peroxidase into ventromedial lesions produces retrograde labeling in a large number of structures both rostral and caudal of the lesion. Labeling patterns following introduction of horseradish peroxidase into ventrolateral lesions, which do not affect orienting turns, were qualitatively similar but differed quantitatively. The observed patterns of tectal cell labeling make it unlikely that the hemisection deficit can be accounted for in terms of interruption of direct projections deriving from complementary regions of the two tectal lobes. They also indicate that if there exists an uncrossed tectal outflow adequate to trigger orienting turns, it must be by way of an indirect projection. A more general analysis of the labeling patterns suggests that a crossed tectal projection and uncrossed projections from three midbrain tegmental nuclei (the anterodorsal tegmental nucleus, the nucleus profunds lateralis and the nucleus of the medial longitudinal fasciculus) are likely to be involved in triggering orienting turns. The three midbrain tegmental nuclei are of particular interest in that they provide possible anatomical substrates for an indirect uncrossed descending tectal outflow path.