Granule cells in the rat olfactory tubercle accumulate 3H-gamma-aminobutyric acid

The rat olfactory tubercle contains high concentrations of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and its synthetic enzyme, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). We previously demonstrated that GABA and GAD are most concentrated in the polymorphic layer of the tubercle and relatively absent from the plexiform and pyramidal layers. Here we report that the granule cells (the islands of Calleja) in the polymorphic layer accumulate 3H-GABA. 3H-GABA (34.5 Ci/mmole; 1.5 microliter) was injected into the tubercle and an hour later the rat was perfused with a mixture of paraformaldehyde and glutaraldehyde. The tissue was osmicated, dehydrated, and embedded in epon. Silver grains were sparse over the pyramidal and polymorphic cell bodies but numerous over the granule cell bodies in the islands of Calleja and dendrites in the surrounding neuropil. Grain densities for the granule cells were 41/100 micrometer3 compared to 4.2 for the pyramidal and polymorphic cells. Within the island, all the granule cells appeared to be labeled. These results, combined with previous demonstrations of the presence in this region of endogenous GABA and GAD, suggest that the granule neurons of the rat olfactory tubercle are GABA-ergic. These neurons also appear to receive dopamine input and therefore form part of a circuit that includes targets for both major and minor tranquilizers.