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Amygdaloid projections to the mesencephalon, pons and medulla oblongata in the cat

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Summary

Amygdalotegmental projections were studied in 26 cats after injections of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in the diencephalon, midbrain and lower brain stem and in 6 cats after injection of 3H-leucine in the amygdala. Following HRP injections in the posterior hypothalamus, periaqueductal gray (PAG) and tegmentum many retrogradely labeled neurons were present in the central nucleus (CE) of the amygdala, primarily ipsilaterally. Injections of HRP in the posterior hypothalamus and mesencephalon also resulted in the labeling of neurons in the basal nucleus, pars magnocellularis.

Following 3H-leucine injections in CE and adjacent structures autoradiographically labeled fibers were present in the stria terminalis and ventral amygdalofugal pathways. In the mesencephalon heavily labeled fiber bundles were located lateral to the red nucleus. Labeled fibers and terminals were distributed to the mesencephalic reticular formation, substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area and PAG. In the pontine and medullary tegmentum the bulk of passing fibers was located laterally in the reticular formation. Many labeled fibers and terminals were distributed to the parabrachial nuclei, locus coeruleus, nucleus subcoeruleus and lateral tegmental fields. Many terminals were also present in the solitary nucleus and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve.

The location of the cells of origin and the distribution of the terminals of the amygdalotegmental projection suggest that this pathway plays an important role in the integration of somatic and autonomic responses associated with affective defense.

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Abbreviations

A:

nucleus ambiguus

AL:

lateral amygdaloid nucleus

AQ:

cerebral aqueduct

BC:

brachium conjunctivum

BL:

basal amygdaloid nucleus, pars magnocellularis

BM:

basal amygdaloid nucleus, pars parvocellularis

BP:

brachium pontis

CE:

central amygdaloid nucleus

CI:

internal capsule

CN:

cochlear nucleus

CO:

cortical amygdaloid nucleus

CP:

cerebral peduncle

DCN:

dorsal column nuclei

DMV:

dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve

E:

entopeduncular nucleus

F:

fornix

FLA:

longitudinal association bundle

GP:

globus pallidus

H:

hippocampal formation

1C:

inferior colliculus

INJ:

injection site

LC:

locus coeruleus

IO:

inferior olive

LG:

lateral geniculate nucleus

LRN:

lateral reticular nucleus

LT:

lateral tegmental field

M:

medial amygdaloid nucleus

MB:

mammilary body

MG:

medial geniculate nucleus

ML:

medial lemniscus

MT:

medial tegmental field

MV:

motor nucleus of the trigeminus

OC:

optic chiasm

OT:

optic tract

P:

putamen

PAG:

periaqueductal gray

PB:

parabrachial nuclei

PC:

posterior commissure

PH:

posterior hypothalamus

PT:

pyramidal tract

PV:

principal sensory nucleus of the trigeminus

PYR:

pyriform cortex

R:

red nucleus

RF:

reticular formation

S:

solitary nucleus

SC:

nucleus subcoeruleus

SN:

substantia nigra

SO:

superior olive

SOL:

solitary nucleus

SPV:

spinal trigeminal complex

ST:

stria terminalis

VC:

vestibular complex

VTA:

ventral tegmental area

VII:

facial nucleus

XII:

hypoglossal nucleus

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  1. D. A. Hopkins

    Present address: Department of Anatomy, Dalhousie University, B3H 4H7, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    D. A. Hopkins & G. Holstege

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Hopkins, D.A., Holstege, G. Amygdaloid projections to the mesencephalon, pons and medulla oblongata in the cat. Exp Brain Res 32, 529–547 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239551

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