Skip to main content
Log in

Is there a dopaminergic projection from the A11 catecholamine cell group to the amygdala?

  • Research Note
  • Published:
Experimental Brain Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The dopaminergic nature of the pathway from the subparafascicular thalamic nucleus and its adjacent region to the amygdala was reexamined by means of retrograde fluorescent tracers coupled with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunofluorescence. After injecting a small amount of tracer into the amygdala, retrogradely labeled cells were found in the subparafascicular thalamic nucleus and its adjacent periventricular region. TH immunofluorescence showed that these labeled cells completely lacked TH immunoreactivity. Similar results were obtained when a larger amount of tracer was applied to the amygdala. The present study, in contrast to the previous report describing the dopaminergic innervation of the amygdala by the cells in and around the subparafascicular area (A11 catecholamine cell group), indicates that the A11 cell group does not contribute to a dopaminergic input to the amygdala.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

FG:

Fluoro-Gold

TH:

tyrosine hydroxylase

References

  • Bentivoglio M, Molinari M (1984) The interrelations between cell groups in the caudal diencephalon of the rat projecting to the striatum and to the medulla oblongata. Exp Brain Res 54:57–65

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Björklund A, Skagerberg G (1979) Evidence for a major spinal cord projection from the diencephalic A11 dopamine cell group in the rat using transmitter-specific fluorescent retrograde tracing. Brain Res 177:170–175

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dahlström A, Fuxe K (1964) Evidence for the existence of monoamine-containing neurons in the central nervous system. I. Demonstration of monoamines in the cell bodies of brain stem neurons. Acta Physiol Scand (Suppl) 232:1–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Deutch AY, Goldstein M, Baldino Jr. F, Roth RH (1988) Telencephalic projections of the A8 dopamine cell group. Ann NY Acad Sci 537:27–50

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fallon JH, Koziell DA, Moore RY (1978) Catecholamine innervation of the basal forebrain. II. Amygdala, suprarhinal cortex and entorhinal cortex. J Comp Neurol 180:509–532

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fallon JH, Moore RY (1978) Catecholamine innervation of the basal forebrain. IV. Topography of the dopamine projection to the basal forebrain and neostriatum. J Comp Neurol 180:545–580

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fuxe K, Hökfelt T, Johansson O, Jonsson G, Lidbrink P, Ljungdahl Å (1974) The origin of the dopamine nerve terminals in limbic and frontal cortex. Evidence for meso-cortico dopamine neurons. Brain Res 82:349–355

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gerfen CR, Herkenham M, Thibault J (1987) The neostriatal mosaic: II. Patch and matrix-directed mesostriatal dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic systems. J Neurosci 7:3915–3934

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hökfelt T, Phillipson O, Goldstein M (1979) Evidence for a dopaminergic pathway in the rat descending from the A11 cell group to the spinal cord. Acta Physiol Scand 107:393–395

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Skagerberg G, Björklund A, Lindvall O, Schmidt RH (1982) Origin and termination of the diencephalo-spinal dopamine system in the rat. Brain Res Bull 9:237–244

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Swanson LW (1982) The projections of the ventral tegmental area and adjacent regions: a combined fluorescent retrograde tracer and immunofluorescence study in the rat. Brain Res Bull 9:321–353

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Takada M (1990) The A11 catecholamine cell group: another origin of the dopaminergic innervation of the amygdala. Neurosci Lett 118:132–135

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Takada M, Li ZK, Hattori T (1988) Single thalamic dopaminergic neurons project to both the neocortex and spinal cord. Brain Res 455:346–352

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • van der Kooy D, Coscina DV, Hattori T (1981) Is there a non-dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway? Neuroscience 6:345–357

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Moriizumi, T., Leduc-Cross, B. Is there a dopaminergic projection from the A11 catecholamine cell group to the amygdala?. Exp Brain Res 88, 451–454 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02259121

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02259121

Key words

Navigation