Rabbit cingulate cortex: cytoarchitecture, physiological border with visual cortex, and afferent cortical connections of visual, motor, postsubicular, and intracingulate origin.

Abstract

The connections of cingulate cortex with visual, motor, and parahippocampal cortices in the rabbit brain are evaluated by using a modified Brodmann cytoarchitectural scheme, electrophysiological mapping techniques, and the pathway tracers horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and tritiated amino acids. Rabbit cingulate cortex can be divided into areas 25, 24, and 29. Area 29 is of particular interest because area 29d has a lateral extension with a granular layer IV, area 29b has a caudal extension in which the connections differ from anterior area 29b, and there is a prominent area 29e. Cytoarchitectural delineation of the lateral border of area 29d with area 17 closely approximates the medial edge of the visual field representation in area 17 as determined electrophysiologically. The main interconnections between visual and cingulate cortices occur between cingulate areas 24b and 29d and visual areas 18 and medial parts of area 17. Projections between areas 29d and 18 are organized in a loose topographic fashion with rostral parts of each and caudal parts of each being reciprocally connected. Neurons mainly in superficial layer II-III of areas 17 and 18 project to layer I of area 29d, while the reciprocal projection originates from neurons in layer V of area 29d and project mainly to layer I of areas 17 and 18. The medial portion of motor area 8 projects to areas 18 and 29d and has a smaller projection to area 17. Postsubicular area 48 is reciprocally connected with area 29d, and it also projects to areas 29b and c. The subiculum projects to areas 29a and 29c but only to the anterior two-thirds of area 29b not the posterior one-third. Rostral area 29d receives the most extensive intrinsic cingulate projections including those from all major cytoarchitectural divisions. Interconnections between areas 29d and 29b appear to be topographically organized in the rostrocaudal plane. Area 29c projects more heavily to area 29b than vice versa. Finally area 29d projects mainly to area 24b in anterior cingulate cortex. In conclusion, rostral area 29d has extensive connections with visual areas 17 and 18, motor area 8, and all subdivisions of cingulate cortex. In light of these connections, it may play a pivotal role in associative functions of the rabbit cerebral cortex including visuomotor integration.