Dye injection into ELa strongly labels ascending axons that arise in nELL and travel through the lateral lemniscus to arrive in ELa. Fine collaterals branch off from theese fibers to expand into the nucleus medialis ventralis of the midbrain. Thus, nMV receives inputs that paralel those received by ELa.
In addition, dye injections into ELp show projections into nMV also, arising from cell bodies within ELp. These axons travel a short distance to the adjacent nucleus, and thus provide a descending input into the same nucleus that receives inputs from nELL.
Nothing is known of the physiology of cells in nMV, nor is anything known of its function. Injections into nMV reveal that it receives inputs from other electrosensory areas in the midbrain, including nucleus lateralis. There are also projections to the cerebellum from nMV.
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Friedman, M. A. and Hopkins, C. D. (in press). Neural substrates for species recognition in the time-coding electrosensory patheway of mormyrid electric fish. J. Neuroscience .
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