title: Evidence for a catecholaminergic projection to area X in the zebra finch.
abstract: In the zebra finch (Poephila guttata), horseradish peroxidase injected into or near Area X of the lobus parolfactorius (LPO) is transported to cell bodies in ipsilateral hyperstriatum ventrale pars caudale (HVc), area ventralis of Tsai (AVT), and nucleus tegmenti pedunculo-pontinus, pars compacta (TPc). Area X, LPO, and paleostriatum augmentatum (PA) all contain a dense network of catacholamine-containing axons and nerve terminals, as determined in histofluorescence studies. Cell bodies in AVT and TPc contain catacholamines; lesions of TPc greatly reduce or abolish catacholamine fluorescence in PA, and a lesion of AVT eliminates histofluorescence in LPO, icluding Area X. The anatomical location and catecholaminergic projection from AVT suggest that LPO-Area X may be the avian homolog of the mammalian nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle, and/or rostromedial caudate.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005260:Female; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008032:Limbic System / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013687:Telencephalon / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D014828:Vocalization, Animal / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines