Afferent projections to the periaqueductal gray in the rabbit

The afferents to the periaqueductal gray in the rabbit have been described following hydraulic pressure injection of horseradish peroxidase at various sites throughout this structure. Every third section was reacted with tetramethylbenzidine, for the localization of afferent neurons. At the site of the deposit alternate sections were reacted with tetramethylbenzidine, Hanker-Yates reagent, or diaminobenzidine, for comparative assessment of the injection site. A large number of retrogradely labelled cells, assessed by bright- and dark-field microscopy, were observed in a wide range of areas throughout the brain. Major labelled areas within the telencephalon were cortical areas 5, 20, 21, 32 and 40. Within the diencephalon, the hypothalamus contained quantitatively by far the largest number of labelled cells. Of these nuclei, the dorsal pre-mammillary nucleus contained the largest number of labelled cells. Considerable labelling was also found within medial and lateral preoptic nuclei, anterior hypothalamic area, and ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus. Another diencephalic region containing a significant number of retrogradely labelled neurons was the zona incerta. At midbrain, pontine and medullary levels, additional labelled regions were: the substantia nigra, cuneiform nucleus, parabigeminal nucleus, raphe magnus, and reticular areas. Heavy labelling was seen within the periaqueductal gray itself, rostral and caudal to deposits placed within each subdivision. In addition, a large number of other areas labelled throughout the brain (Tables 2A-D). Not only were some differences noted in the pattern of labelled cells with deposits placed rostrally or caudally within periaqueductal gray, but certain topographical differences with respect to the degree of labelling within nuclei were also seen with injection sites ventral, lateral or dorsal to the aqueduct. In addition, a further difference was noted, in that over one third of the areas labelled with deposits in just one or other of the "divisions" within periaqueductal gray. The results therefore suggest that the periaqueductal gray might be divisible to some extent on the basis of connectivity with intrinsic subdivisions of the complex. It is hoped that, with time, it might prove possible to resolve any such differential input in functional terms. The wide variety of afferent input to the periaqueductal gray, and its strategic location, would seem to place it in a unique position for integrating and modifying a diversity of motor, autonomic, hormonal, sensory and limbic influences.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)