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Terminal organization of the corticospinal projection from the lateral premotor cortex to the cervical enlargement (C5–T1) in rhesus monkey
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Terminal organization of the corticospinal projection from the lateral premotor cortex to the cervical enlargement (C5–T1) in rhesus monkey

Robert J Morecraft, Jizhi Ge, Kim S Stilwell‐Morecraft, Diane L Rotella, Marc A Pizzimenti and Warren G Darling
Journal of comparative neurology (1911), Vol.527(16), pp.2761-2789
11/01/2019
DOI: 10.1002/cne.24706
PMCID: PMC6721988
PMID: 31032921
url
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/6721988View
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Abstract

ABSTRACT High‐resolution tract tracing and stereology were used to study the terminal organization of the corticospinal projection (CSP) from the ventral (v) and dorsal (d) regions of the lateral premotor cortex (LPMC) to spinal levels C5–T1. The LPMCv CSP originated from the postarcuate sulcus region, was bilateral, sparse, and primarily targeted the dorsolateral and ventromedial sectors of contralateral lamina VII. The convexity/lateral part of LPMCv did not project below C2. Thus, very little LPMCv corticospinal output reaches the cervical enlargement. In contrast, the LPMCd CSP was 5× more prominent in terminal density. Bilateral terminal labeling occurred in the medial sectors of lamina VII and adjacent lamina VIII, where propriospinal neurons with long‐range bilateral axon projections reside. Notably, lamina VIII also harbors axial motoneurons. Contralateral labeling occurred in the lateral sectors of lamina VII and the dorsomedial quadrant of lamina IX, noted for harboring proximal upper limb flexor motoneurons. Segmentally, the CSP to contralateral laminae VII and IX preferentially innervated C5–C7, which supplies shoulder, elbow, and wrist musculature. In contrast, terminations in axial‐related lamina VIII were distributed bilaterally throughout all cervical enlargement levels, including C8 and T1. These findings demonstrate the LPMCd CSP is structured to influence axial and proximal upper limb movements, supporting Kuypers conceptual view of the LPMCd CSP being a major component of the medial motor control system. Thus, distal upper extremity control influenced by LPMC, including grasping and manipulation, must occur through indirect neural network connections such as corticocortical, subcortical, or intrinsic spinal circuits. Using high‐resolution tract tracing, the authors demonstrate the dorsal lateral premotor cortex (LPMCd) gives rise to a prominent bilateral corticospinal projection (CSP) involving the ventromedial (red) and lateral (blue) gray matter regions. In contrast a weaker bilateral CSP arose from the peri‐arcuate region of ventral lateral premotor cortex (LPMCv).
RRID: SCR_004314 pyramidal tract upper extremity movement RRID: SCR_002526 frontal lobe reaching spinal cord RRID: AB_2336819 RRID: SCR_1775

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