Elsevier

Experimental Neurology

Volume 78, Issue 3, December 1982, Pages 551-560
Experimental Neurology

Frontal torticollis (head tilt) induced by electrolytic lesion and kainic acid injection in monkeys and cats

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Abstract

Unilateral electrolytic lesions (11 monkeys, 7 cats), kainic acid (KA) injections (3 cats), or 5,7-dihydroxytriptamine (5,7-DHT) injections (5 cats) were made in the dorsomedial mesencephalic tegmentum. Electrolytic and KA lesions, but not 5,7-DHT lesions, produced some degree of frontal torticollis (16 animals). The frontal torticollis, characterized by a lateral flexion of the head (tilt) to the shoulder opposite the side of the lesion, was associated with intermittent contractions of the neck muscles resulting in spasmodic head movements. Histological analysis of the electrolytic lesions indicated that the medial mesencephalic reticular formation and fibers from the superior cerebellar peduncle and the central tegmental tract were involved whether frontal torticollis was present or not. Conversely, among several cell groups that were sometimes affected, the interstitial nucleus of Cajal (INC) was always damaged in animals displaying frontal torticollis, whereas it was spared in animals not displaying head tilt. These results suggest that lesion of the INC is critical for the production of frontal torticollis.

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    This work was supported by the Medical Research Council of Canada. Dr. Bédard is Chercheur-boursier, Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Québec. We thank M. Baron for manuscript preparation, and L. Bertrand, R. Maheux, and J. Simard for technical assistance.

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