Reciprocal connections between the ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body and inferior colliculus in gerbil.

摘要

The ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body (VNTB) is an auditory brainstem nucleus located within the superior olivary complex (SOC). We examined the nature of the interconnections between the VNTB and two other auditory nuclei, the inferior colliculus (IC) and cochlear nucleus (CN), in the gerbil. We used intra- and extra-cellular labeling techniques, as well as tissue slice. We pre-tagged the IC with retrograde and anterograde tracers and found fifty three percent of VNTB cells in one animal which were projecting to the IC also received descending input from IC axons. This indicates a previously unknown reciprocal connection between the IC and VNTB, suggesting communication. In addition, fifty three percent of the cells in one animal showed pre-tagging indicating a bi-axonal circuit projecting from IC to VNTB to CN, which has only previously been shown to exist from IC to VNTB to cochlear nucleus.