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Distribution of choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity in the pigeon brain
Author(s) -
Medina Loreta,
Reiner Anton
Publication year - 1994
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.903420403
Subject(s) - cerebrum , biology , interpeduncular nucleus , basal forebrain , tegmentum , cholinergic neuron , cholinergic , habenula , choline acetyltransferase , neuroscience , tectum , cholinergic fibers , diencephalon , forebrain , thalamus , basal ganglia , anatomy , pretectal area , midbrain , neocortex , central nervous system
We have investigated the distribution of cholinergic perikarya and fibers in the brain of the pigeon ( Columba livia ). With this aim, pigeon brain sections were processed immunohistochemi‐cally by using an antiserum specific for chicken choline acetyltransferase. Our results show cholinergic neurons in the pigeon basal telencephalon, the hypothalamus, the habenula, the pretectum, the midbrain tectum, the dorsal isthmus, the isthmic tegmentum, and the cranial nerve motor nuclei. Cholinergic fibers were prominent in the dorsal telencephalon, the striatum, the thalamus, the tectum, and the interpeduncular nucleus. Comparison of our results with previous studies in birds suggests some major cholinergic pathways in the avian brain and clarifies the possible origin of the cholinergic innervation of some parts of the avian brain. In addition, comparison of our results in birds with those in other vertebrate species shows that the organization of the cholinergic systems in many regions of the avian brain (such as the basal forebrain, the epithalamus, the isthmus, and the hindbrain) is much like that in reptiles and mammals. In contrast, however, birds appear largely to lack intrinsic cholinergic neurons in the dorsal (“neocortex‐like”) parts of the telencephalon. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.