Two hours following intraperitoneal injection, estradiol-H3 is concentrated by cells in a system of limbic and hypothalamic structures. Preoptic-hypothalamic nuclei containing estrogen-concentrating cells include the medial preoptic area, medial anterior hypothalamus, ventromedial nucleus, arcuate nucleus and ventral premammillary nucleus. Limbic structures include the medial and cortical nuclei of the amygdala, lateral septum, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, diagonal band of Broca, olfactory tubercle, ventral hippocampus, and prepiriform and entorhinal cortex. Labelled cells were also found in the lateral and ventrolateral portions of the mesencephalic central grey. Compared to these regions, most other regions of the nervous system, including the spinal cord, have very small numbers of labelled cells, which are relatively weakly labelled, and are not found in regular, specific locations. The distribution of estrogen-concentrating cells determined with the present autoradiographic method agrees with previous autoradiographic conclusions and with biochemical results from cell fractionation experiments.

The locations of estrogen-concentrating cells coincide in several brain regions with locations of estrogen-dependent neuroendocrine control mechanisms, as determined by brain implants, lesions, electrical stimulation, and electrophysiological recording. Moreover, experimental neuroanatomical studies have provided evidence for several pathways connecting regions which concentrate radioactive estradiol. Taken together, the evidence suggests a limbic-hypothalamic system of estrogen-concentrating neurons which participate in the control of mating behavior and of gonadotrophin release from the pituitary.

Atlas of estradiol-concentrating cells in the central nervous system of the female rat.

Increasingly strong evidence suggests that cholinergic neurons in the mesopontine tegmentum play important roles in the control of wakefulness and sleep. To understand better how the activity of these neurons is regulated, the potential afferent connections of the laterodorsal (LDT) and pedunculopontine tegmental nuclei (PPT) were investigated in the rat. This was accomplished by using retrograde and anterograde axonal transport methods and NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry. Immunohistochemistry was also used to identify the transmitter content of some of the retrogradely identified afferents. Following injections of the retrograde tracer wheatgerm agglutinin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) into either the LDT or the PPT, labelled neurons were seen in a number of limbic forebrain structures. The medial prefrontal cortex and lateral habenula contained more retrogradely labelled neurons from the LDT, whereas in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and central nucleus of the amygdala, more cells were labelled from the PPT. Moderate numbers of neurons were seen in the magnocellular regions of the basal forebrain, and many labelled neurons were observed in the lateral hypothalamus, the zona incerta, and the midbrain central gray from both the LDT and the PPT. Accessory oculomotor nuclei in the midbrain as well as eye movement-related structures in the lower brainstem contained some neurons labelled from the LDT, and fewer neurons from the PPT. A few labelled neurons were seen in somatosensory and other sensory relay nuclei in the brainstem and the spinal cord. Retrograde labelling was seen in a number of extrapyramidal structures, including the globus pallidus, entopenduncular and subthalamic nuclei, and substantia nigra following PPT injections; with LDT injections, labelling was similar in density in the substantia nigra but virtually absent in the entopeduncular and subthalamic nuclei. Data with the fluorescent retrograde tracer fluorogold combined with immunofluorescence indicated that many neurons in the zona incerta-lateral hypothalamic region that were retrogradely labelled from the LDT contained alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. Numerous neurons were labelled throughout the reticular formation of the brainstem following either LDT or PPT injections. Many neurons retrogradely labelled in the LDT and PPT, the dorsal and median raphe nuclei, and the locus ceruleus contained choline acetyltransferase, serotonin, and tyrosine hydroxylase, respectively. The anterograde tracers WGA-HRP and phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin were used to confirm some of the projections indicated by the retrograde labelling data; anterograde labelling was seen in the LDT and PPT following injections of one of these tracers into the medial prefrontal cortex, lateral hypothalamus, and the contralateral LDT.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Afferent connections of the laterodorsal and the pedunculopontine tegmental nuclei in the rat: A retro‐ and antero‐grade transport and immunohistochemical study

The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTn) was originally defined on cytoarchitectonic grounds in humans. We have employed cytoarchitectonic, cytochemical, and connectional criteria to define a homologous cell group in the rat. A detailed cytoarchitectonic delineation of the mesopontine tegmentum, including the PPTn, was performed employing tissue stained for Nissl substance. Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunostained tissue was then analyzed in order to investigate the relationship of cholinergic perikarya, dendritic arborizations, and axonal trajectories within this cytoarchitectonic scheme. To confirm some of our cytoarchitectonic delineations, the relationships between neuronal elements staining for ChAT and tyrosine hydroxylase were investigated on tissue stained immunohistochemically for the simultaneous demonstration of these two enzymes.



The PPTn consists of large, multipolar neurons, all of which stain immunohistochemically for ChAT. It is present within cross-sections that also include the A-6 through A-9 catecholamine cell groups and is traversed by catecholaminergic axons within the dorsal tegmental bundle and central tegmental tract. The dendrites of PPTn neurons respect several nuclear boundaries and are oriented perpendicularly to several well-defined fiber tracts. Cholinergic axons ascend from the mesopontine tegmentum through the dorsal tegmental bundle and a more lateral dorsal ascending pathway. A portion of the latter terminates within the lateral geniculate nucleus.



It has been widely believed that the PPTn is reciprocally connected with several extrapyramidal structures, including the globus pallidus and substantia nigra pars reticulata. Therefore, the relationships of pallidotegmental and nigrotegmental pathways to the PPTn were investigated employing the anterograde autoradiographic methodology. The reciprocity of tegmental connections with the substantia nigra and entopeduncular nucleus was investigated employing combined WGA-HRP injections and ChAT immunohistochemistry.



The pallido- and nigrotegmental terminal fields did not coincide with the PPTn, but, rather, were located just medial and dorsomedial to it (the midbrain extrapyramidal area). The midbrain extrapyramidal area, but not the PPTn, was reciprocally connected with the substantia nigra and entope-duncular nucleus. We discuss these results in light of other cytoarchitec-tonic, cytochemical, connectional, and physiologic studies of the functional anatomy of the mesopontine tegmentum.

Pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus of the rat: cytoarchitecture, cytochemistry, and some extrapyramidal connections of the mesopontine tegmentum.

The descending auditory pathway and acousticomotor systems: connections with the inferior colliculus

The ascending auditory projections to central nucleus of inferior colliculus and its ventrolateral and dorsomedial subdivisions (ICVL and ICDM) have been studied in cat using both pressure and electrophoretic injections of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The results indicate that the predominant ascending projections to inferior colliculus originate in (1) contralateral cochlear nucleus, (2) contralateral and ipsilateral lateral superior olive, (3) ipsilateral medial superior olive, (4) ipsilateral ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus, (5) ipsilateral and contralateral dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus, and (6) contralateral inferior colliculus. In addition, ipsilateral cochlear nucleus, ipsilateral and contralateral intermediate nucleus of the lateral lemniscus, ipsilateral, and to a lesser extent contralateral, periolivary nuclei project to inferior colliculus. Of these nuclei, the lateral superior olive projects exclusively to ICVL and ipsilateral cochlear nucleus and contralateral inferior colliculus project mostly, if not exclusively, to ICDM. Many of these projections demonstrate a cochleotopic organization and frequency a nucleotopic organization as well. A cochleotopic organization of the projections is apparent for cochlear nucleus and superior olivary complex. A nucleotopic organization suggests that the heaviest terminations of contralateral inferior colliculus are medial and dorsal in inferior colliculus, of medial superior olive are dorsal and lateral, of superior olivary complex are rostral, of cochlear nucleus are caudal, and of ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus are caudal.

HRP study of the organization of auditory afferents ascending to central nucleus of inferior colliculus in cat

The aim of this study was to compare the projections of the dorsal column nuclei and spinal pathways to the brainstem and thalamus in Tupaia glis. Animals with unilateral lesions in the dorsal column nuclei or with lateral hemisections were perfused after 5 to 14 days survival time and sections were treated with Nauta or Fink/Heimer silver impregnation methods. The findings indicate that efferent fibers of dorsal column nuclei terminate not only in the thalamus but also in the dorsal accessory nucleus of the inferior olive and bilaterally in the external nucleus of the inferior colliculus. Some fibers terminate in periaqueductal gray and a few in pontine nuclei. In the diencephalon, efferents of the dorsal column nuclei were found to terminate in the posterior group (PO), ventroposterior nucleus (VP) and zona incerta. Spinal efferents were traced to the medial and dorsal accessory nuclei of the inferior olive, medullary and mesencephalic reticular formation, facial and vestibular nuclei, cuneiform nucleus, locus caeruleus, parabrachial nuclei and periaqueductal gray, and also to the external nucleus of the inferior colliculus. Evidence was found of more limited additional spinal projections to PO intralaminar nuclei and VP. The results of this study indicate that the dorsal column system, generally considered to be a phylogenetically new direct pathway to the thalamus, contains other components comparable to some of the spinal efferent connections with the brainstem. Moreover, even in this intermediate form, whose exact taxonomic position is unsettled, the dorsal column-medial lemniscus system to the thalamus appears to be of greater volume than the anterolateral spinothalamic connection.

Projection of dorsal column nuclei and spinal cord to brainstem and thalamus in the tree shrew, Tupaia glis.

Physiological effects of dimethyl sulfoxide on peripheral nerves: possible role in pain relief.

After exposure to cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni it was found that a New World monkey (Saimiri sciurea—the squirrel monkey) was susceptible to infection, a prosimian primate (Nycticebus coucang—the slow loris) was relatively resistant, and a “pre-primate” (Tupaia glis—the tree shrew) was virtually insusceptible to infection. On the basis of this and other studies with primates, it appears that the lower primates are less susceptible to infection with S. mansoni than the higher primates.

Comparative susceptibility to Schistosoma mansoni of the squirrel monkey, the slow loris and the tree shrew☆

Rats were trained in Tolman’s “sunburst” apparatus modified to eliminate visual cues. Results consistent with his hypothesis of “cognitive maps” were obtained. There was a tendency to take the right sided test pathways pointing in the general direction of the food box. When the number of left and right turns in the training procedure were made equal and the ultimate turn was to the left, no tendency to turn right was found during testing.

/pdf/a-reinvestigation-of-cognitive-maps-4trb9qo5ug.pdf

John A. Jane

Papers

Projection of dorsal column nuclei and spinal cord to brainstem and thalamus in the tree shrew, Tupaia glis.

Physiological effects of dimethyl sulfoxide on peripheral nerves: possible role in pain relief.

Comparative susceptibility to Schistosoma mansoni of the squirrel monkey, the slow loris and the tree shrew☆

A reinvestigation of cognitive maps

An anatomic basis for multimodal thalamic units