Interconnections between the dorsal column nucleus and the cerebellum in a reptile

Interconnections between the dorsal column nucleus and the cerebellum were examined in one group of reptiles, Caiman crocodilus. After anterograde tracer injections into the dorsal column nucleus, efferents terminated nearly exclusively in the white matter and ventral portion of the granule cell layer of the ipsilateral cerebellum. Subsequent to deposition of a retrograde tracer into the cerebellum, neurons in the central and ventral half of the dorsal column nucleus were labeled. When compared with the origin of midbrain and spinal cord projecting cells in Caiman, cerebellar projecting neurons arose from a more rostral location in the dorsal column nucleus than did neurons that terminated in either of these two other targets. The results of the present and previous experiments suggest that the dorsal column nucleus in this reptilian group is organized into sectors based on efferent target in a fashion similar to what has been described in certain mammals. Furthermore, the presence of this circuit in crocodilians and turtles suggests that his pathway from the dorsal column nucleus to the cerebellum arose early in amniote evolution.

► Dorsal column nucleus neurons project to the cerebellum. ► Cerebellar projecting neurons originate from the central and ventral portion of the dorsal column nucleus. ► Dorsal column nucleus is organized into sectors. ► Dorsal column nucleus-cerebellar circuit evolved early in amniote evolution.