Basal ganglia and other afferent projections to the peribrachial region in the rat: A study using retrograde and anterograde transport of horseradish peroxidase

Abstract

The afferent projections to the peribrachial region in the rat were studied using retrograde and anterograde transport of horseradish peroxidase. Particular attention was paid to descending projections from the basal ganglia and related nuclei to the region of nucleus tegmenti pedunculopontinus. Following injection of peroxidase into nucleus tegmenti pedunculopontinus, few retrogradely-labelled neurons were found in the entopeduncular nucleus proper, but larger numbers were found with a wide distribution within the boundaries of the internal capsule and cerebral peduncle. Labelled cells were also consistently observed in the amygdala, the caudal globus pallidus, the subthalamus including zona incerta and subthalamic nucleus, the hypothalamus, the substantia nigra and the ventral tegmental area. Following iontophoretic injections of horseradish peroxidase into the entopeduncular nucleus, lateral hypothalamus, subthalamic nucleus or ventral tegmental area, terminal labelling was observed in and around the branchium conjunctivum in an area apparently corresponding to nucleus tegmenti pedunculopontinus in the rat.