Hi,
Recently I queried this newsgroup about whether centrifugal pathways running
from higher brain areas to the retina were known to exist in mammals and
humans. Several people replied and I wanted to thank them for their time and
effort. Below is a listing of the replies I have received.
=============================================================================
From: James B. Hutchins <jbh at Anat.UMSMed.Edu>
To: hucka at engin.umich.edu
Subject: Re: Centrifugal pathway *to* retina?
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 93 20:38:17 CDT
Such pathways have been discussed for a long time, but the difficulty
in demonstrating such a thing have been enormous.
In the 'lower' orders you mention, generally FRMFamide-immunoreactive
fibers are considered to be identical to retinopedal (centrifugal) fibers.
As far as I know, in fish and amphibians, the cell bodies are in the
olfactory areas of the brain.
Last time I discussed this with my friends who work in the area, they
assured me that such pathways had been preliminarily demonstrated in
rat but it was an informal conversation over 5 years ago so I don't
have a reference...will try to dig one up.
Also, I will see if my friends who work in the area have an e-mail
address so you can contact them directly for an "expert opinion" instead
of mine!
Hope this helps
Jim
--
Jim Hutchins [] E-Mail: jbh at anat.umsmed.edu
Asst Prof of Anatomy [] Asst Prof of Neurology
Univ Mississippi Med Ctr [] Jackson, MS
=============================================================================
From: James B. Hutchins <jbh at Anat.UMSMed.Edu>
To: hucka at engin.umich.edu
Subject: Re: Centrifugal pathway *to* retina?
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 93 12:37:51 CDT
Please find attached a list of recent papers on retinopetal (centrifugal)
connections. I've tried to select the 'best' ones, but some may fit your
interest more than others.
Our netfind server is down so I do not have addresses for Bill Stell or Anne
Russoff, but will try to get them for you later.
Hope these help!
Authors
Miceli D. Reperant J. Marchand L. Rio JP.
Title
Retrograde transneuronal transport of the fluorescent dye rhodamine beta
-isothiocyanate from the primary and centrifugal visual systems in the
pigeon.
Journal
Brain Research. [JC:b5l] 601(1-2):289-98, 1993 Jan 22.
Authors
Wilm C. Fritzsch B.
Title
Ipsilateral retinopetal projection of the nucleus olfactoretinalis (NOR)
during development and regeneration: a DiI study in a cichlid fish.
Journal
Journal of Neurobiology. [JC:jam] 24(1):70-9, 1993 Jan.
Authors
Hahmann U. Gunturkun O.
Title
Visual-discrimination deficits after lesions of the centrifugal visual
system in pigeons (Columba livia).
Journal
Visual Neuroscience. [JC:ays] 9(3-4):225-33, 1992 Sep-Oct.
Authors
Owusu-Yaw V. Kyle AL. Stell WK.
Title
Effects of lesions of the optic nerve, optic tectum and nervus terminalis
on rod precursor proliferation in the goldfish retina.
Journal
Brain Research. [JC:b5l] 576(2):220-30, 1992 Apr 3.
Author
Mikkelsen JD.
Title
Visualization of efferent retinal projections by immunohistochemical
identification of cholera toxin subunit B.
Journal
Brain Research Bulletin. [JC:b5m] 28(4):619-23, 1992 Apr.
Author
Marshak DW.
Title
Peptidergic neurons of teleost retinas.
Journal
Visual Neuroscience. [JC:ays] 8(2):137-44, 1992 Feb.
Authors
Northcutt RG. Butler AB.
Title
Retinofugal and retinopetal projections in the green sunfish, Lepomis
cyanellus.
Journal
Brain, Behavior & Evolution. [JC:b5g] 37(6):333-54, 1991.
Authors
Schutte M. Witkovsky P.
Title
Dopaminergic interplexiform cells and centrifugal fibres in the Xenopus
retina.
Journal
Journal of Neurocytology. [JC:jb3] 20(3):195-207, 1991 Mar.
Author
Holden AL.
Title
Centrifugal pathways to the retina: which way does the "searchlight"
point? [comment].
Journal
Visual Neuroscience. [JC:ays] 4(5):493-5, 1990 May.
Authors
Fritzsch B. Crapon de Caprona MD. Clarke PG.
Title
Development of two morphological types of retinopetal fibers in chick
embryos, as shown by the diffusion along axons of a carbocyanine dye in
the fixed retina.
Journal
Journal of Comparative Neurology. [JC:huv] 300(3):405-21, 1990 Oct 15.
Authors
Labandeira-Garcia JL. Guerra-Seijas MJ. Gonzalez F. Perez R.
Acuna C.
Title
Location of neurons projecting to the retina in mammals.
Journal
Neuroscience Research. [JC:oaq] 8(4):291-302, 1990 Aug.
Authors
Rusoff AC. Hapner SJ.
Title
Development of retinopetal projections in the cichlid fish, Herotilapia
multispinosa.
Journal
Journal of Comparative Neurology. [JC:huv] 294(3):431-42, 1990 Apr 15.
Authors
Rusoff AC. Hapner SJ.
Title
Organization of retinopetal axons in the optic nerve of the cichlid fish,
Herotilapia multispinosa.
Journal
Journal of Comparative Neurology. [JC:huv] 294(3):418-30, 1990 Apr 15.
Authors
Reperant J. Miceli D. Vesselkin NP. Molotchnikoff S.
Title
The centrifugal visual system of vertebrates: a century-old search
reviewed.
Journal
International Review of Cytology. [JC:gu9] 118:115-71, 1989.
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From: vineland expatriate <bell-peter at YALE.EDU>
To: hucka at engin.umich.edu
Cc:
Subject: Re: Centrifugal pathway *to* retina?
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 1993 08:44:14 -0400
Hiya--
In birds, the nucleus which is the source of those fibres is the isthmo-
optic nucleus. Harvey Karten had or has a postdoc looking at the
isthmooptic nucleus, so a literature search on the nucleus and Harvey
should help you to find some primary literature. I believe that in
humans the pathway is clearly not present, and I don't think anyone has
ever reported evidence for it within mammals, but there are south american
monkeys which use color extensively in species recognition and conceivably
could have some sort of centrifugal pathway, so I won't say for sure that
*no* mammals have one.
If you are interested in a pathway like that which is more clearly
understood, there are centrifugal fibres innervating the cochlea in
terrestrial vertebrates which play some role in impedance matching
(in addition to the control over the ossicles). Unless i am seriously
mistaken, this pathway is well documented in all terrestrial vertebrates.
-Peter
bell at minerva.cis.yale.edu
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From: dario at cns.nyu.edu (Dario Ringach)
To: hucka at engin.umich.edu
Subject: Re: Centrifugal pathway *to* retina?
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 93 12:30:36 EDT
As far as I know no such pathways have been found in primates. As far
as their function goes in other animals, it is even more obscure.
Take for example the thalamic LGN nucleus to which the retina
projects. Only 20% of the input to the LGN comes from the retina, the
rest is cortex->LGN and midbrain->LGN feedback, and their function is not
clear at all!!!! In the textbooks they still refer to the LGN as a
relay to the cortex.
--
Dario
Dario Ringach office: (212) 998-3941
Center for Neural Science home: (212) 727-9346
New York University e-mail: dario at cns.nyu.edu
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From: vc2 at thurston.UCSD.EDU (Vince Clark)
To: hucka at engin.umich.edu
Cc: vc at thurston.UCSD.EDU
Subject: Re: Centrifugal pathway *to* retina?
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 93 13:08:28 PDT
Try looking up the following papers. They think that there may be
an influence of attentional processes (ie conciousness) on the activity
of the retina itself. Other groups haven't been able to replicate it,
but you never know.
1. Oakley MT; Eason RG.
Subcortical gating in the human visual system during spatial selective
attention.
International Journal of Psychophysiology, 1990 Sep, 9(2):105-20.
ABSTRACT available. (UI: 91034909)
2. Oakley MT; Eason RG.
The conjoint influence of spatial selective attention and motor set on very
short latency VERs.
Neuropsychologia, 1990, 28(5):487-97.
ABSTRACT available. (UI: 90332137)
Have fun.
Vince Clark
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--
-- Mike
_____________________________________________________________________________
Mike Hucka | Internet: hucka at engin.umich.edu
University of Michigan AI Lab | 1101 Beal Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2110