The origin of cholecystokinin terminals in the basal forebrain of the rat: evidence from immunofluorescence and retrograde tracing.
The origins of cholecystokinin (CCK) fibers in the olfactory tubercle, nucleus accumbens and amygdala of the basal forebrain of the albino rat were studied with combined immunofluorescence and fluorescent retrograde tracing techniques. In each case, the majority of the CCK innervation arises topographically from subpopulations of neurons in the substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area of the midbrain. This ascending CCK input to the forebrain appears to exceed the amount of descending CCK input from the cortex. In this regard, the CCK innervation of limbic structures is quite different from that of the neostriatum. It has been reported that the CCK innervation of the neostriatum is derived primarily from piriform cortex as a descending corticostriatal projection. Limbic structures, on the other hand, are primarily innervated by ascending CCK, as well as local circuit, projections.
D000818:Animals; D002766:Cholecystokinin / Q000502:physiology*; D004027:Diencephalon / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D009411:Nerve Endings / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D013687:Telencephalon / Q000502:physiology*
D002766:Cholecystokinin