Projections of the parvocellular reticular formation to the contralateral mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus in the rat

Projections of the parvocellular reticular nucleus (PCRt) to the contralateral mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (Me5) were studied in the rat with neurophysiological and neuroanatomical techniques. Three types of responses (classified by latencies) were recorded extracellularly in the Me5 area after electrical stimulation of the PCRt: (1) R1 fast unitary reactions (latency 0.2-0.5 ms) found throughout the entire caudal Me5 area; (2) R2 slower unitary reactions (latency 0.7-1.2 ms) recorded ventral and lateral to the caudal Me5; and (3) R3 compound potentials (latency 1.0-2.5 ms) recorded within the ventrocaudal Me5. Relayed or synaptic fields were not observed. Intracellular recordings of identified cell bodies of periodontal afferents, muscle spindle afferents and interneurones revealed no short-term postsynaptic potentials following PCRt stimulation. In some experiments jaw muscle spindle afferent activity was increased by PCRt stimulation and jaw-opening and jaw-closing reflexes were facilitated in the contralateral musculature. Neuroanatomical experiments, using Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin as an anterograde tracer, showed direct projections with intensive collateralization of PCRt fibres into the Me5 area. Synaptic contacts of PCRt fibres with primary afferent cell bodies were observed in the ventrocaudal parts of the Me5 only. The electrophysiological results are discussed in relation to the neuroanatomical findings.