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Efferent fiber projections of the habenula and the interpeduncular nucleus. An experimental study in the opossum and cat

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Summary

A study of efferent fiber connections of the habenula and the inter-peduncular nucleus was conducted using anterograde degeneration techniques. Lesions were placed in the habenula of the opossum and the habenula and interpeduncular nucleus of the cat. Degeneration was studied by means of the Nauta and Fink-Heimer techniques.

Fibers from the habenular nucleus of the opossum extended caudally and were traced bilaterally to the interpeduncular nucleus, dorsal tegmental nucleus of Gudden, deep (ventral) tegmental nucleus of Gudden, nucleus centralis superior and nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontis. Rostrally fibers were traced to the preoptic and septal region and the anterior and lateral hypothalamus.

The medial and lateral habenular nuclei of the cat projected differentially to portions of the interpeduncular nucleus and the tegmental nuclei of Gudden. The medial habenular nucleus sent fibers to the paramedian subnucleus of the interpeduncular nucleus and to the deep tegmental nucleus; whereas the lateral habenular nucleus distributed to the apical and central subnuclei of the interpeduncular nucleus and the dorsal tegmental nucleus.

Fibers from both the medial and lateral habenular nuclei were found to project bilaterally to the nucleus paraventricularis anterior, nucleus ventralis anterior, anterior medialis and anterior dorsalis of the thalamus, and the septal area.

Fibers from the interpeduncular nucleus of the cat were represented bilaterally. Those passing rostral went to the lateral habenular nucleus, nucleus centromedianus and parafascicularis of the thalamus, and to the septal area. Those directed caudally projected to the nucleus centralis superior, and the dorsal and deep tegmental nucleus of Gudden.

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Abbreviations

AC:

anterior commissure

AD:

nucleus anterior dorsalis

AM:

nucleus anterior medialis

AV:

nucleus anterior ventralis

BC:

brachium conjunctivum

CC:

corpus callosum

CD:

caudate nucleus

CI:

internal capsule

CL:

nucleus centralis lateralis

CM:

nucleus centromedianus

CP:

cerebral peduncle

DT:

dorsal tegmental nucleus (of Gudden)

EN:

entopeduncular nucleus

Fx:

fornix

GC:

central gray

GL:

lateral geniculate nucleus

GM:

medial geniculate nucleus

GP:

globus pallidus

HbPt:

habenulopeduncular tract

HVM:

ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus

IC:

inferior colliculus

IP:

interpeduncular nucleus

LHb:

lateral habenular nucleus

LL:

lateral lemniscus

LMN:

lateral mammillary nucleus

LP:

nucleus lateralis posterior

MD:

nucleus medialis dorsalis

MHb:

medial habenular nucleus

ML:

medial lemniscus

MMN:

medial mammillary nucleus

MP:

mammillary peduncle

NCM:

nucleus centralis medialis

OC:

optic chiasm

OT:

optic tract

Pf:

nucleus parafascicularis

Pul:

pulvinar

PUT:

putamen

RE:

nucleus reuniens

RN:

red nucleus

RPO:

preoptic area

RTP:

nucleus reticularis tegmenti pontisv (von Bechterew)

S:

stria medullaris

SC:

superior colliculus

SN:

substantia nigra

SPT:

septal area

VA:

nucleus ventralis anterior

VL:

nucleus ventralis lateralis

VM:

nucleus ventralis medialis

VPL:

nucleus ventralis posterolateralis

VPM:

nucleus ventralis posteromedialis

VT:

deep tegmental nucleus (of Gudden)

II:

optic nerve

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Anatomy and Neurology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

    L. A. Smaha & W. W. Kaelber

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  1. L. A. Smaha
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  2. W. W. Kaelber
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Smaha, L.A., Kaelber, W.W. Efferent fiber projections of the habenula and the interpeduncular nucleus. An experimental study in the opossum and cat. Exp Brain Res 16, 291–308 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00233332

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00233332

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