CONNECTIONS OF THE LIMBIC SYSTEM AND HYPOTHALAMUS

下丘脑和边缘系统被广泛认为提供了 动机和情绪的神经基础。尽管 其联系的组织，甚至是什么的定义 结构甚至应该包括在边缘系统内，这是不好的 理解并引起争议。我们在这方面工作的长期目标是 这一主题目前已进入供资的第二十个年头，其目的是确定 用神经解剖学方法(结合路径追踪和 神经传递相关分子的组织化学)精确 路径的地形组织，这些路径相互连接不同的 下丘脑的核，神经通路的核 来自端脑内侧区域的下丘脑(如 杏仁核和海马体)，以及从 下丘脑至脑干和脊髓启动各种课程 出于本能。目标导向型行为(例如英吉迪奇， 生殖。和防御性)。 具体目标： 1.生成高分辨率下丘脑外侧标准图 基于我们的大鼠计算机图形地图集的区划 大脑。以及神经递质基因的表达模式， 细胞结构和以前的连接数据。2.确定 轴突示踪剂联合原位杂交的实验研究 方法分析各主要侧向的投入产出关系。 下丘脑区。

The hypothalamus and limbic system are widely thought to provide the neural substrates for motivation and emotion. although the organization of its connections, and indeed the definition of what structures should even be included within the limbic system, is poorly understood and controversial. The long range goal of our work on this topic, which is now in its twentieth year of funding, is to determine with neuroanatomical methods (combined pathway tracing and histochernistry for neurotransmission-related molecules) the precise topographical organization of pathways that interconnect the various nuclei of the hypothalamus, of pathways that innervate the hy hypothalamus from medial regions of the telencephalon (such as the amygdala and hippocampus), and of pathways that descend from the hypothalamus to brainstem and spinal cord to initiate various classes of instinctive. goal-oriented behavior (e.g.. ingestive, reproductive. and defensive). Specific Aims: 1. Generate a high resolution standard map of lateral hypothalamic regionalization, based on our computer graphics atlas of the rat brain. and on neurotransmitter gene expression patterns, cytoarchitecture, and previous connectional data. 2. Determine experimentally with combined axonal tracer/in situ hybridization methods the input/output relationships of each major lateral hypothalamic region.