ABSTRACT
WGA-HRP was injected into the dorsomedial nucleus of thalamus (DM)by means of microiontophoretical delivery in 19 rats, and into the dorsal division of anterior cingulate cortex (ACd), the prelimbic area (PL), the dorsal agranular insular area (AId) of prefrontal cortex by using microinjective system in 17 rats to observe the efferent projections of the DM.It was found that the DM projected to a large part of the prefrontal cortex including the medial precentral area (PCm), ACd, PL, AId, ventral agranular insular area (AIv), medial orbital area (MO), ventral orbital area (VO), ventrolateral orbital area (VLO), and some topographical organizations were also found. The lateral segment of DM projects to the ACd, PCm, PL, AId, AIv and VLO. The intermediate segment of DM projects to the AId and AIv. The medial segment of DM projects to the AId, PL, IL, AIv, MO and VO. Furthermore, the DM also projects to some subcortical nuclei, such as the reticular nucleus of thalamus (R), the lateral preoptic area (LPO), the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), the caudoputamen, the nucleus accumbens and the parafascicular nucleus of thalamus. In addition, some reciprocal connections between the DM and the ACd, PCm, PL, IL, AId, R, LPO and LHA were observed.
ABSTRACT
WGA-HRP was injected into different segment of the dorsomedial nucleus (DM) of thalamus by means of microiontophoretical delivery in 19 rats to observe the afferent projections of DM. It is found that the DM received afferent projections widely from the frontal cortex, basal telecephalon, limbic system, monoaminergic neuron, reticular formation, central gray matter and superior colliculus. Furthermore, some topographical organization has also been observed. The medial segment of DM received afferent projections mainly from dorsal agranular insular cortex, infralimbic cortex, amygdaloid complex, septum, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and raphe nuclei, related with the function of the limbic system. The central segment of DM received afferent projections from the dorsal agranular insular cortex and the prepiriform cortex, also related with the function of the limbic system. The lateral segment of DM received afferent projections mainly from the medial precentral cortex, dorsal division of anterior cingulate cortex, E-W nucleus and superior colliculus, related with the function of eye movement. In addition, all the three segments of DM received numerous afferents from the substantia innominata, nucleus tractus diagonalis (Broca), lateral preoptic area and reticular nucleus of the thalamus.