Ascending components of the medial forebrain bundle from the lower brain stem in the rat, with special reference to...

The afferent connection of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) arising from the lower brain stem have been investigated by means of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) with sensitive substrate, the injection was made iontophoretically into MFB at various levels. After injection of HRP into MFB, a significant number of HRP-labeled neurons were observed in the following structures of the lower brain stem: (1) raphe nuclear group, (2) locus coeruleus, (3) n. laterodorsalis tegmenti, (4) parabrachial area, (5) A1, A2, A4, A5 and A7 areas where noradrenaline-containing neurons were disseminated, (6) A8, A9 and A10 areas which contain dopamine neurons, (7) surrounding area of the fasciculus longitudinalis medialis at the level of the n. propositus hypoglossi, (8) n. prepositus hypoglossi and (9) mesencephalic gray matter. As a rule, the ascending projections are ipsilateral and course in the medial part of MFB. Regarding the raphe nuclei, we have demonstrated that the caudal raphe nuclei, such as n. raphe magnus and obscurus (but not n. raphe pallidus), also send their axons to the hypothalamus. Particularly, the axons of n. raphe magnus ascend in MFB to reach the level of the preoptic or anterior septal areas. Furthermore, in accordance with previous reports, HRP-labeled cells were also identified in the n. raphe dorsalis, centralis superior and pontis, respectively. It should be further noted that labeled cells appeared in the n. linearis caudalis. In addition, the present study indicates a number of non-aminergic cell groups as sources of ascending mfb fibers. On the whole, the present study further clarified the organization of the components of the MFB ascending from the lower brain stem, and provided some additional anatomical substrates for the physiology of the control of the forebrain by the lower brain stem neurons.