Organization and properties of visually responsive neurones in the suprageniculate nucleus of the cat

Abstract

Visually responsive neurones of the cat's suprageniculate nucleus were categorized according to their responses to a variety of different types of light stimuli. Their velocity preferences were assessed quantitatively and have been found to predominate in the high range. The positions and dimensions of their receptive fields were determined and these tended to be found within a zone between the vertical meridian and 30-35 degrees. Receptive fields had mean diameters smaller than those reported by others for the pulvinar-LP complex. From these and other electrophysiological data, inferences have been made of the likely sources of afferents providing visual driving. A proposal is offered for SGn visuotopic organization based on correlations of receptive field location with cell position, as determined through electrode track reconstructions.

Visual Pathways Involved in Fear Conditioning Measured with Fear-Potentiated Startle: Behavioral and Anatomic Studies

“…Electrophysiological recording studies have also found that neurons in SG and LP have similar properties. Both have large receptive fields and respond very reliably to fast moving visual stimuli (Hicks et al, 1984;Hutchins and Updyke, 1989;Casanova and Molotchnikoff, 1990). Furthermore, the present data show that the dorsal SG provides projections to the PR and the L, as does the adjacent LP.…”

Insular cortex and neighboring fields in the cat: A redefinition based on cortical microarchitecture and connections with the thalamus

“…In addition, we suggest that the caudal pole of PoM in cats may be akin to anterior portions of the suprageniculate nucleus of monkeys: both occupy a similar location, are major targets for ascending spinothalamic and spinal trigeminal inputs (Poggio and Mountcastle, 1960;Berkley, 1983;Burton and Craig, 1983;Ralston and Ralston, 1992), and project to the granular insular cortex and adjacent somatosensory fields (Burton and Kopf, 1984;Mufson and Mesulam, 1984;present results). In contrast, the nucleus usually referred to as Sg in cats is continuous with the lateral posterior complex (Graybiel and Berson, 1980;Bowman and Olson, 1988;Rodrigo-Angulo and Reinoso-Suá rez, 1995) and the dorsal division of the medial geniculate (Winer, 1992), and is basically involved in auditory and visual processing (Calford, 1983;Hicks et al, 1984;Norita and Katoh, 1987;Hutchins and Updyke, 1989). Thalamic connectivity, therefore, argues for a basic similarity between areas DI and GI of cats and the dysgranular and granular insular fields of macaques.…”

“…Studies have shown that both LM and Sg receive ascending inputs from the pretectal nuclei and deep strata of the superior colliculi (Graybiel and Berson, 1980;Reinoso-Suá rez, 1982, 1995;Norita and Katoh, 1987), and contain visually responsive neurons that display large receptive fields with a rough retinotopic arrangement (Hicks et al, 1984;Hutchins and Updyke, 1989). In addition to visual input, Sg receives input from brainstem auditory nuclei.…”

Organization of projections to the lateral amygdala from auditory and visual areas of the thalamus in the rat

“…Like the LP, these nuclei receive input from the superior colliculus (Linke et al, 1997Linke, 1999), and this tectal input terminates onto some of the same thalamic cells that project directly to the LA . In fact, the Sg and the LP are the only structures of all amygdala-projecting thalamic nuclei from which cell responses for visual stimuli have been characterized (Hotta and Kameda, 1963;Hicks et al, 1984;Casanova et al, 1989;Hutchins and Updyke, 1989;Casanova and Molotchnikoff, 1990), and both have large receptive fields and respond very reliably to fast moving visual stimuli. Since dangerous visual stimuli in a rat's environment may often be moving or looming stimuli, such response properties may make these cells important links in the visual-motor integration process (Updyke, 1983(Updyke, , 1986Hutchins and Updyke, 1988), and therefore good candidates for conveying information about the emotional significance of dangerous visual stimuli to the LA (Hicks et al, 1984;Linke et al, 1997).…”