Spinal lamina I neurons projecting to the parabrachial area of the cat midbrain.
We have observed a population of lamina I neurons in the cat that has projections to the parabrachial area (parabrachial and cuneiform nuclei). A subpopulation of these neurons also projects to the contralateral thalamus. The majority of projecting cells responded exclusively to noxious stimuli, a few wide-dynamic-range neurons were also observed. Conduction velocities for antidromic activation from the midbrain ranged from 1 to 18 m/s. We stained 14 cells intracellularly with horseradish peroxidase. These findings suggest that a major nociceptive projection pathway originating in lamina I and terminating in the parabrachial area exists in the cat.
D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009431:Neural Conduction; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000503:physiopathology