title: LHRH-immunoreactive neurons in the pterygopalatine ganglia of voles: a component of the nervus terminalis?
abstract: Cranial tissue from adult and neonatal voles was examined with immunocytochemical techniques to determine the distribution of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone-immunoreactive (LHRH-ir) neurons in extracerebral structures. The overall distribution of the LHRH-ir portion of the nervus terminalis in the nasal and extracranial cavities was comparable to that of other rodents. However, we observed a unique association of LHRH-ir neurons with the pterygopalatine ganglia of neonatal and adult voles. We also found LHRH-ir fibers in nasopalatine nerves, and trigeminal nerves and ganglia of neonatal voles. We speculate that these neurons may influence the autonomic control of the vascular pump in the vomeronasal organ.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1010.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Wirsig-Wiechmann
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lepri
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003411:Arvicolinae; D005260:Female; D005726:Ganglia, Parasympathetic / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000032:analysis*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone