Ventral striatopallidal parts of the basal ganglia in the rat: I. Neurochemical compartmentation as reflected by the distributions of neurotensin and substance P immunoreactivity

作者：Daniel S. Zahm, Lennart Heimer · 发表于：The Journal of Comparative Neurology · 年份：1988 · DOI：10.1002/cne.902720406 · 被引用次数：202 · 研究领域：Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology、Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior、Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling

The distribution of neurotensin immunoreactivity in the basal ganglia of the adult rat was evaluated by studying alternate serial vibratome sections that were exposed to antiserum against neurotensin, substance P, or cholecystokinin. It was observed that a heterogeneous distribution of neurotensin-immunoreactive fibers and terminals contributes to the neurochemical compartmentation of the ventral pallidum and ventral striatum, and that significant numbers of neurotensin-immunoreactive neurons occupy striatal districts of the olfactory tubercle, nucleus accumbens, and ventromedial caudate-putamen. An intense band of pallidal neurotensin immunoreactivity characterizes the medial part of the ventral pallidum adjacent to the nucleus accumbens, whose medial boundary is conveniently defined in sections incubated with cholecystokinin antiserum. Electron microscopic studies showed that the pallidal plexus of neurotensin-immunoreactive elements consists primarily of boutons, which contact large dendrites in arrangements that in all respects appear to be of the classical striatopallidal variety. A gradual decrease in immunolabel was observed approaching the lateral parts of the ventral pallidum, which display sparse neurotensin immunoreactivity. The results thus indicate the existence of a significant neurotensinergic striatopallidal pathway confined primarily, if not exclusively, to the medial part of the ventral striatopallidal system. The contribution of neurotensin-immunoreactive f...