Direct inhibitory projection of pontine omnipause neurons to burst neurons in the Forel's field H controlling vertical eye movement-related motoneurons in the cat.

Abstract

This study examines the nature of the efferent projection of omnipause neurons (OPNs) in the midline pontine tegmentum to medium-lead burst neurons (BNs) in the Forel's field H (FFH), both of which exhibit activities related to vertical eye movements, using chronically prepared alert cats. Antidromic spikes of the BNs evoked by oculomotor nucleus stimulation were suppressed by shortly preceding (less than 5 ms) microstimulation within the OPN area including actual recording sites of OPNs. Many OPNs were antidromically activated by microstimulation at recording sites of the BNs. Furthermore, systematic tracking in and around the FFH with the stimulating microelectrode substantiated that the OPNs issued axonal branches within the BN area. These results suggest direct inhibitory projection of OPNs to the BNs.