Thalamic afferents to the limbic cortex in the cat studied with the method of retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase

doi:10.1016/0006-8993(78)90859-4

Brain Research

Volume 145, Issue 2, 28 April 1978, Pages 225-238

https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(78)90859-4 Get rights and content

Abstract

Thalamic afferents to the limbic cortex in the cat were studied with the method of retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase. The anterior limbic region receives fibers largely from the anteromedial nucleus and partly from the anterodorsal and anteroventral nuclei. There appears to be a dorsoventral organization of cortical projections of the anteromedial nucleus to the anterior limbic region. The cingular area has its main input from the anteroventral and anteromedial nuclei. The lower bank and fundus of the splenial sulcus receive fibers from the anteroventral nucleus, particularly its parvocellular part. The retrosplenial area receives projections from the anterodorsal, anteroventral and anteromedial nuclei. The agranular retrosplenial area (area 30) receives hardly any fibers from the anterior thalamic nuclei. The postsubicular and presubicular areas receive cortical afferents from the anterodorsal, anteroventral (both magnocellular and parvocellular parts) and anteromedial nuclei. In addition, the limbic cortex receives many fibers from the dorsal lateral, medial pulvinar and lateral pulvinar nuclei, and few fibers from the intralaminar and midline nuclei.

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The projections from the anteromedial nucleus of the thalamus (AM) were investigated using anterograde and retrograde tracing techniques. AM projects to nearly the entire rostrocaudal extent of limbic cortex and to visual cortex. Anteriorly, AM projects to medial orbital, frontal polar, precentral agranular, and infraradiata cortices. Posteriorly, AM projects to retrosplenial granular, entorhinal, perirhinal and presubicular cortices, and to the subiculum. Further, AM projects to visual cortical area 18b, and to the lateral and basolateral nuclei of the amygdala. AM projections are topographically organized, i.e., projections to different cortical areas arise from distinct parts of AM. The neurons projecting to rostral infraradiata cortex (IRα) are more caudally located in AM than the neurons projecting to caudal infraradiata cortex (IRβ). The neuronal cell bodies that project to the terminal field in area 18b are located primarily in ventral and lateral parts of AM, whereas neurons projecting to perirhinal cortex and amygdala are more medially located in AM. Injections into the most caudal, medial part of AM (i.e., the interanteromedial [IAM] nucleus) label terminals in the rostral precentral agranular, caudal IRβ, and caudal perirhinal cortices. Whereas most AM axons terminate in layers I and V–VI, exceptions to this pattern include area 18b (axons and terminals in layers I and IV–V), the retrosplenial granular cortex (axons and terminals in layers I and V), and the presubicular, perirhinal, and entorhinal cortices (axons and terminals predominantly in layer V). Together, these findings suggest that AM influences a widespread area of limbic cortex.
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Thalamic afferents to the limbic cortex in the cat studied with the method of retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase

Abstract

Brain Research

Brain Research

Brain Research

Exp. Neurol.

Convergent thalamic and mesencephalic projections to the anterior medial cortex in the rat

J. comp. Neurol.

Studies on the diencephalon of the Virginia opossum. Part III. The thalamo-cortical projection

J. comp. Neurol.

Vergleichende Lokalisationslehre der Grosshirnrinde

On the connexions of the anterior nucleus of the thalamus

J. Anat. (Lond.)

Thalamic relationships of the medial cortex in the rat

Brain Behav. Evol.

Architektonischer Aufbau des sensomotorischen und parietalen Cortex der Katze

J. Hirnforsch.

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.

Cortical projections of the anterior and lateral ventral nuclei in the cat

Acta anat. Nippon

Connections of the cerebral cortex. I. The albino rat. C. Extrinsic connections

J. comp. Neurol.

Thalamo-cortical connections of the rat's brain

J. comp. Neurol.

Retrograde axonal transport in the central nervous system

Science

The cholinergic limbic system: projections to hippocampal formation, medial cortex, nuclei of the ascending cholinergic reticular system, and the subformical organ and supra-optic crest

Brain

Limbic nuclei of thalamus and connections of limbic cortex. II. Thalamo-cortical projection of the lateral dorsal nucleus in man

Arch. Neurol. (Chic.)