EFFERENT CONNECTIONS OF THE DORSOMEDIAL NUCLEUS OF THALAMUS IN THE RAT WITH WGA-HRP METHOD / 解剖学报

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.