ã European Neuroscience Association Visual-®eld-speci®c heterogeneity within the tecto-rotundal projection of the pigeon (original) (raw)
The organization of the tecto-rotundal projection of the pigeon was investigated by means of anterograde and retrograde tracing techniques. Besides the known organization in tecto-rotundal connectivity, this study additionally demonstrates major variations in the ascending projections of different tectal sub®elds. We show that the ventral tectum opticum (TO) has signi®cantly more projections onto the nucleus rotundus (Rt) than dorsal tectal areas. This difference coincides with differential innervation densities of afferent ®bres within rotundal subregions. While ventral tectal efferents project onto the ventral and central Rt, dorsal tectal efferents mainly arborize within limited areas between the central Rt and its dorsal cap, the nucleus triangularis. Thus, the ventral TO, representing the lower and frontal ®eld of view, exhibits a quantitatively and spatially enhanced projection onto the Rt, as compared with the dorsal TO. The data presented here demonstrate a visual ®eld-depen...
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