Physiological and anatomical studies of pulvinar

1986 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 60570681
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Cerebral neurosurgery
• Research Institution: Toho University
• Principal Investigator: YOSHII Nobuo Professor of Toho University, School of Medicine, 医学部, 教授 (60057453)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MATSUMOTO Seiko Assistant Instructor of Toho University, School of Medicine, 医学部, 助手 (10104168) ; INOMATA Kenichiro Professor of Toho University, School of Medicine, 医学部, 教授 (20116388)
• Project Period (FY): 1985 – 1986
• Keywords: Pulvinar / Evoked potential / Unit discharge / Nauta-Gygax / HRP / 頑痛

Research Abstract

1) One hundred cats were used for the basic physiological studies of the sensory function of the pulvinar. Eighty subjects were employed in the evoked potential work and 20 in the micro-electrode studies. Studies of evoked responses in the pulvinar of the cat reveal that evoked responses can be easily recorded from peripheral nerve stimulation and that these impulses to a large part are carried by the dorsal column and the ventral lateral portion of the cord. The activity of 161 thalamic pulvinar neurons was studied in cats using the following stimuli; bending hair, tapping the superficial and deep tissues, pinching the skin, abdomical stimuli, and presentation of tones and lights. Approximately a half of the pulvinar neurons responded to either of thses stimuli. Occlusion among somatic, visceral, visual and auditory inputs was common observation.
2) Pulvinar of cat brains were destroyed with the electrode coagulation method and serial sections were investigated with NAUTA-GYGAX, FINK-H EIMER and NISSL stains to elucidate the pathway and function of pulvinar. After the destruction of the dorsal part of the pulvinar, the degenarating fibers originated from the pulvinar and terminated at GL, GL pars ventralis (GLV) and Ncl. centralis lateralis (CL).
3) Anatomical analysis of pulvinar-LP complex of the cat was performed with the labelling technique of injection horseradish peroxidase (HRP) locally with a micro injectior. HRP-labelled cell groups were found at the lateral geniculate body at the undescribed spot (nucleus T) located at the lateral part of the hypothalamus. Nucleus T was situated in the region just lateral to the fornix of mamillary nucleus at rostral level, and in the peripheral region.
4) Stereotactive pulvinarotomy was performed on 45 cases with intractable pain who consists of 27 cases of malignant tumor, 15 cases of post-cerebrovascular disease, 2 facial pain and 1 causalgia. Excellent and good effect of operation was 92.6% for malignant tumor, 86.7% for post-CVD within one month. From 1 month to 1 year 87.5% (malignant tumor) and 60% (post-CVD). Over 1 year 100% (malignant tumor) and 50% (post-CVD).