Cholinergic and catecholaminergic neurons relay striatal information to the optic tectum in amphibians

In the amphibians Rana perezi and Xenopus laevis, the involvement of cholin ergic and catecholaminergic neurons in the relay of basal ganglia inputs to the tectum was investigated. Tract-tracing experiments, in which anterogra de tracers were applied to the basal ganglia and retrograde tracers to the optic tectum, were combined with immunohistochemistry for choline acetyltra nsferase and tyrosine hydroxylase. The results of these experiments suggest that dopaminergic neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus and pretectal reg ion, noradrenergic cells of the locus coeruleus and the cholinergic neurons of the pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei mediate at least part of the basal ganglia input to the tectum in anurans.