Histological analyses of reinforcement circuitry

我们这项研究的主要目的是确定从腹侧纹状体到大脑其余部分的详细神经联系。行为学研究表明，腹侧纹状体的内侧部分(包括伏隔内侧壳和内侧嗅结节)比外侧腹侧纹状体(包括伏隔核、腹壳和外侧结节)更负责精神运动兴奋剂的初级增强效应。将顺行示踪剂PHAL注射到腹侧纹状体各亚区，观察顺行标记神经元的表达。 这项研究仍在进行中。我们的分析开始表明，嗅结节的投射主要局限于腹侧苍白球，具有内侧地形图。

Our major aim of this study is to determine detailed neural connections from the ventral striatum to the rest of the brain. Behavioral studies indicate that the medial portion of the ventral striatum, which includes the medial accumbens shell and medial olfactory tubercle, is more responsible for primary reinforcing effects of psychomotor stimulants than the lateral ventral striatum, which includes the accumbens core, ventral shell, and lateral tubercle. The anterograde tracer PHAL was injected into subregions of the ventral striatum, and the expression of anterogradely labeled neurons were characterized. This study is still ongoing. Our analysis begins to indicate that projections of the olfactory tubercle are largely confined to the ventral pallidum with mediolateral topography.