Elsevier

Brain Research Bulletin

Volume 17, Issue 3, September 1986, Pages 321-333
Brain Research Bulletin

Article
Topography of projections from the medial prefrontal cortex to the amygdala in the rat

https://doi.org/10.1016/0361-9230(86)90237-6Get rights and content

Abstract

The projections from the rat medial prefrontal cortex to the amygdaloid complex were investigated using retrograde transport of fluorescent dyes and anterograde transport of horseradish peroxidase-WGA. The ventral anterior cingulate, prelimbic, infralimbic and medial orbital areas and the taenia tecta were found to project to the amygdaloid complex. The projections from the prelimbic area arose bilaterally. The medial orbital, prelimbic and anterior cingulate areas send convergent projections to the basolateral nucleus. The prelimbic area has additional projections to the posterolateral cortical nucleus and amygdalo-hippocampal area. The infralimbic area does not project to the basolateral nucleus and cortico-amygdaloid projections from this area are focussed on the anterior cortical nucleus and the anterior amygdaloid area. Both prelimbic and infralimbic areas project to an area situated between the central, medial and basomedial nuclei. Based on similar projections, this area appears to be a caudal continuation of the anterior amygdaloid area. The results indicate that the medial prefrontal component of the “basolateral limbic circuit” is restricted to the anterior cingulate and prelimbic areas. No evidence was obtained to support the existence of a medial prefronto-amygdaloid component of the “visceral fbrebrain”.

References (83)

  • C.M. Leonard

    The prefrontal cortex of the rat. I. Cortical projections of the mediodorsal nucleus. II. Efferent connections

    Brain Res

    (1969)
  • H.J. Markowitsch

    Thalamic mediodorsal nucleus and memory: A critical evaluation of studies in animals and man

    Neurosci Biobehav Rev

    (1982)
  • Y. Nakano et al.

    Neuronal activity in the medial orbitofrontal cortex of the behaving monkey: Modulation by glucose and satiety

    Brain Res Bull

    (1984)
  • J.A. Ricardo et al.

    Anatomical evidence of direct projections from the nucleus of the solitary tract to the hypothalamus, amygdala. and other forebrain structures in the rat

    Brain Res.

    (1978)
  • C.B. Saper

    Reciprocal parabrachial-cortical connections in the rat

    Brain Res

    (1982)
  • M. Sarter et al.

    Convergence of basolateral and mediodorsal thalamic projections in different areas of the frontal cortex in the rat

    Brain Res Bull

    (1983)
  • J.S. Schwaber et al.

    The origin and extent of direct amygdala projections to the region of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus and the nucleus of the solitary tract

    Neurosci Lett

    (1980)
  • R.R. Terreberry et al.

    Rat medial frontal cortex: A visceral motor region with a direct projection to the solitary nucleus

    Brain Res

    (1983)
  • J.G. Veening

    Cortical afferents of the amygaloid complex in the rat: An HRP study

    Neurosci Lett

    (1978)
  • J.G. Veening et al.

    The organization of projections from the central nucleus of the amygdala to brainstem sites involved in central autonomic regulation: a combined retrograde transport-immunohistochemical study

    Brain Res

    (1984)
  • C. Wakefield

    The topographical organization and laminar origin of some cortico-amygdaloid connections

    Neurosci Lett

    (1980)
  • K.L. Weller et al.

    Afferent connections to the bed nucleus of the stria tenninalis

    Brain Res

    (1982)
  • P.L. Woodhams et al.

    Distribution of neuropeptides in the limbic system of the rat: The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, septum and preoptic area

    Neuroscience

    (1983)
  • C. Baleydier et al.

    The duality of the cingulate gyrus in monkey

    Brain

    (1980)
  • R.M. Beckstead

    An autoradiographic examination of corticocortical and subcortical projections of the mediodorsalprojection (prefrontal) cortex in the rat

    J Comp Neurol

    (1979)
  • M.D. Cassell et al.

    Neuronal architecture in the rat central nucleus of the amygdala: a cytological hodological and immunocytochemical study

    J Comp Neurol

    (1986)
  • W.M. Cowan et al.

    The connections of the amygdala

    J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry

    (1965)
  • S. Eliasson

    Cerebral influence on gastric motflity in the cat

    Acta Physiol Scand

    (1952)
  • F. Ellendorf et al.

    Neuroendocrinology of amygdaloid control of gonadotrophin secretion

  • L.B. Haberly et al.

    Association and commissural fiber systems of the olfactory cortex of the rat. I. Systems originating in the piriform cortex and adjacent areas

    J Comp Neurol

    (1978)
  • L.B. Haberly et al.

    Association and commissural fiber systems of the olfactory peduncle. II. Systems originating in the olfactory peduncle

    J Comp Neurol

    (1978)
  • M. Herkenham

    The connections of the nucleus reuniens thalami: Evidence for a direct thalamo-hippocampal pathway in the rat

    J Comp Neurol

    (1978)
  • S. Iverson

    Brain lesions and memory in animals

  • E.G. Jones et al.

    Retrograde axonal transport and the demonstration of non-specific projections to the cerebral cortex and striatum from thalamic intralaminar nuclei in the rat, cat and monkey

    J Comp Neurol

    (1974)
  • E.G. Jones

    Anatomy of cerebral cortex: columnar input-output organization

  • B.R. Kaada

    Somatomotor, autonomic and electrocardiographic responses to electrical stimulation of “rhinecephalic” and other structures in primates, cat and dog

    Acta Physiol Scand

    (1951)
  • M. Kita et al.

    An HRP study of the afferent connections to the rat medial hypothalamic regions

    Brain Res Bull

    (1982)
  • H. Koikegami et al.

    Studies on the amygdaloid nuclei and periamygdaloid cortex. Experiments on the influence of their stimulation upon motility of small intestine and blood pressure

    Folia Psyehiatr Neurol Jpn

    (1953)
  • J.E. Krettek et al.

    Projections from the amygdaloid complex to the cerebral cortex and thalamus in the rat and cat

    J Comp Neurol

    (1977)
  • J.E. Krettek et al.

    Projections from the amygdaloid complex and adjacent olfactory structures to the entorhinal cortex and subiculum in the rat and cat

    J Comp Neurol

    (1977)
  • J.E. Krettek et al.

    The cortical projections of the mediodorsal nucleus and adjacent thalamic nuclei in the rat

    J Comp Neurol

    (1977)
  • Cited by (0)

    View full text