Catecholamine distribution in feline hypothalamus

Catecholamine distribution was examined in cat hypothalamus using the histochemical fluorescence technique of Falck and Hillarp. The heaviest accumulations of catecholamine-containing varicosities were seen within the: anterior periventricular nucleus; dorsal hypothalamic area; bed nucleus of the inferior thalamic peduncle; doral component of the paraventricular nucleus; dorsomedial nucleus; infundibular nucleus; bed nucleus of the stria terminalis-medial division; and supraoptic nucelus. Catecholaminergic perikarya were observed within periventricular, dorsal, and caudal hypothalamic areas as well as within the supramamillary nucleus and caudal diencephalon. Catecholamine distribution in cat hypothalamus possesses both similarities and dissimilarities in relation to distributions reported in other mammals.