Summary
In birds, the accessory optic system (AOS) includes two nuclei: the nucleus ectomamillaris (nEM) and the pretectal nucleus superficialis synencephali (nSS). The role of the nSS in the production of a horizontal optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) was studied in the pigeon, by comparing the OKN before and after a unilateral lesion of this nucleus. The lesions were performed either by electrolysis or by local application of kainic acid (KA); the KA lesions gave more stable modifications of the OKN than the electrolytic lesions. A quantitative analysis of the slow-phase velocity (¯V) of the OKN was carried out on the animals receiving KA lesions.
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(1)
Lesion of the nSS provokes the almost total disappearance of the OKN for stimulation of the contralateral eye in the temporo-nasal direction, and a reduction of the OKN for stimulation in the nasotemporal direction. Thus, the nSS is essential for the production of the OKN in the temporo-nasal direction, but it also participates in the production of the OKN in the naso-temporal direction (slow-phase direction).
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(2)
The same lesion produces a large increase of the OKN (¯V) when the ipsilateral eye is stimulated in the temporo-nasal direction, and a smaller increase following stimulation in the naso-temporal direction. These increases suggest some kind of inhibitory (or disfacilitatory) interactions between the nSS (or the associated system) on one side, and the contralateral optokinetic centers.
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(3)
The lesion of one nSS does not provoke a deficit when the stimulation is binocular. This result probably reflects the combined effect of both monocular inputs.
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(4)
After a pretectal KA injection, a spontaneous nystagmus of the contralateral eye, in the nasotemporal direction, can be seen for several hours. The mechanism is still unknown, but it might be rela2ted to a reverse optokinetic after nystagmus (ROKAN).
The anatomical and physiological data so far available consistently support the hypothesis of a functional equivalence between the nSS in birds and the nucleus of the optic tract in mammals.
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Gioanni, H., Rey, J., Villalobos, J. et al. Optokinetic nystagmus in the pigeon (Columba livia) II. Role of the pretectal nucleus of the accessory optic system (AOS). Exp Brain Res 50, 237–247 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239188
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239188