Topological analysis of the brain stem of the frogs Rana esculenta and Rana catesbeiana
Authors: Opdam Paul , Kemali Milena , Nieuwenhuys Rudolf 
Published: May 2005

The ventricular sulcal pattern and the cytoarchitectonic organization of the brain stem of the frogs Rana esculenta and Rana catesbeiana have been studied in transversely cut, Nissl stained serial sections. Four longitudinal sulci, the sulcus medianus inferior, the sulcus intermedius ventralis, the sulcus limitans and the sulcus medianus superior could be distinguished in both species. A fifth longitudinal groove, the sulcus intermedius dorsalis, was found only in Rana esculenta. With the aid of the usual cytoarchitectonic criteria 25 cell masses have been delineated in Rana esculenta and 27 in Rana catesbeiana. These cell masses can be distributed over the following categories )numbers added in brackets for Rana catesbeiana, if different from those in Rana esculenta(: primary efferent or motor, 8: primary afferent or sensory, 4 )6(; “relay” centers, 7. Contrary to statements in the literature the reticular formation can be divided into six separate cell groups. The majority of the nuclei form part of the central gray, which constitutes a rather wide zone in anurans; three reticular nuclei lie partly within the stratum griseum and partly within the stratum album; six nuclei are entirely embedded in the stratum album.

The morphological pattern of the cell masses and their relationship to the ventricular sulci were studied with the aid of a graphical reconstruction procedure termed topological analysis )cf. Nieuwenhuys, '74 and figs. 15, 16(. This analysis yielded the following results: The sulcus limitans extends throughout the rhombencephalon, dividing this brain part into a basal plate and an alar plate. The cell masses in the basal plate fit into two longitudinal zones, a medial area ventralis and a lateral area intermedioventralis. The area ventralis contains three somatic motor nuclei )IV, VI and XII( and the rhombencephalic medial reticular zone. The latter may be primarily considered as a somatic motor coordinating center. The area intermedioventralis contains the visceral motor nuclei of V, VII, IX and X. However, the basal plate also contains a number of non‐motor centers, for example the superior olive. The alar plate contains visceral sensory, general somatic sensory and special somatic sensory centers. Two cell masses, the nucleus fasciculi solitarii and the nucleus visceralis secundarius, represent together a discontinuous visceral sensory zone. Both of these nuclei are situated immediately dorsal to the sulcus limitans. The special somatic sensory area, i.e., the area of termination of the eighth nerve, occupies a considerable part of the alar plate. This area comprises, apart from a large zone of diffuse gray, three distinct cell masses. The general somatic sensory nuclei, i.e., the nucleus tractus descendens and the nucleus princeps of V, constitute a zone which largely overlaps the nucleus fasciculi solitarii and one of the octavus nuclei. In the frogs investigated the cell masses in the midbrain do not exhibit a clear‐cut morphological pattern. Functionally, however, the medial part of the tegmentum mesencephali may be considerd as the rostral extreme of the somatic motor area, whereas the lateral part of the tegmentum and the tectum are chiefly occupied by special somatic centers of primary and higher orders.