Experimental neuroanatomy of systems related to emotion

本项目概述了一项实验神经解剖学研究，旨在评估猴扣带回皮层和皮层下的连通性。与该计划的其他组成部分紧密结合，新的努力代表了我们对颞叶和与记忆有关的问题的关注的转变。我们通过研究将颞结构与前扣带皮层联系起来，并定义了后海马旁回和脾周皮层之间的界面，为这种转变奠定了基础。在即将到来的资助期内，我们计划开展一系列研究，旨在更详细地阐明扣带皮层的连通性，扣带皮层的一个主要功能是处理情绪和感觉。这些研究将检验一个假设，即不同的扣带皮层分支与皮层下和皮层结构有不同的连接模式。事实上，有经典的证据表明，灵长类动物的扣带皮层与其他大脑区域由细胞结构上不同的细分组成。这种差距严重限制了认知与情感研究中假设的提出和对现有实验结果的解释。我们的目标是通过多次注射顺行和逆行示踪剂来评估猴子每个扣带分支的传入和传入连接，从而弥合这一差距。将特别关注皮质下连接，因为它们在灵长类动物中很少被研究。此外，我们的数据将详细揭示沟壑内连通性的本质。我们提出的研究结果将为理解神经系统疾病的神经解剖学相关性提供基础，这些神经系统疾病改变了作为显著临床表现的情绪状态，并将有助于更新和扩展有关人类复杂认知和行为，特别是情绪处理和决策的大脑系统的理论公式。我们的新方向与项目中涉及情感、决策和发展的其他项目（项目1、4和5）直接相关。

This project outlines an experimental neuroanatomical investigation on the monkey designed to assess the cortical and subcortical connectivity of the cingulate cortex. In close articulation with other components of the Program, the new effort represents a shift from our focus on the temporal lobe and issues pertaining to memory. We have set the stage for this shift with studies linking temporal structures to anterior cingulate cortices, and defining the interface between the posterior parahippocampal gyrus and the perisplenial cortices. In the forthcoming funding period we plan to carry out a number of studies aimed at elucidating, in greater detail than what is currently available, the connectivity of the cingulate cortex, a major function of which is the processing of emotion and feeling. These investigations will test the hypothesis that varied subdivisions of the cingulate cortex have distinct patterns of connectivity with subcortical an cortical structures. In fact, there is classic evidence that the primate cingulate cortex consists of cytoarchitectonically distinct subdivisions with other brain regions. This gap seriously limits the formulation of hypothesis in the study of cognition and emotion and the interpretation of current experimental results. Our aim is to bridge this gap by assessing the efferent and afferent connections of each cingulate subdivisions in the monkey using multiple injections of anterograde and retrograde tracers. Particular attention will be paid to subcortical connections since they have been sparsely studied in primates. Additionally, our data will reveal in detail the nature of intracingualte connectivity. The results of our proposed studies will provide a basis for understanding the neuroanatomical correlates of neurological conditions that have altered emotional states as salient clinical manifestations, and will aid in updating and extending theoretical formulations concerning the brain systems underlying complex cognition and behavior in humans, especially emotional processing and decision making. Our new direction is of direct relevance to other projects in the Program which deal with emotion, decision making and development (projects 1, 4 and 5).