Premium
Direct reciprocal connections between the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and dorsomedial medulla oblongata: Evidence from immunohistochemical detection of tracer proteins
Author(s) -
Sofroniew Michael V.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.902130404
Subject(s) - medulla oblongata , stria terminalis , nucleus , anatomy , biology , cytoarchitecture , medulla , spinal trigeminal nucleus , forebrain , immunohistochemistry , neuroscience , central nervous system , biochemistry , receptor , immunology , nociception
Connections between the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the dorsomedial medulla oblongata have been examined by immunohistochemical detection of the tracer proteins horseradish peroxidase (HRP) or wheatgerm agglutinin (WGA). Two sets of four rats received 0.2 or 0.4 μl of eithertracer injected into the dorsomedial medulla oblongata, were fixed by perfusion 48 hours later, and were processed for immunohistochemical detection of the tracers. Rats receiving HRP showed only a few single neurons retrogradely labelled in the ipsilateral bed nucleus, and some anterogradely labelled fibers. Rats receiving WGA showed a large number of retrogradely labelled neurons in the ipsilateral bed nucleus. Labelled neurons were most concentrated in a group in the central, dorsal, and lateral aspects of the nucleus at the level of the anterior commissure and just caudal to this. Just ventral to this group was a dense cluster of anterogradely labelled fibers. The retrogradely labelled neurons ranged from 12 to 20 μm in size and were multipolar. These findings indicate that there are direct reciprocal connections between the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the autonomic centers of the dorsomedial medulla oblongata and strengthen the concept that this nucleus is involved in forebrain integration of autonomic functions.