title: Parvalbumin-containing neurons in the basal forebrain receive direct input from the substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area.
abstract: By means of anterograde tracing of Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) it was determined if parvalbumin-immunoreactive neurons in the basal forebrain receive a direct synaptic input from the A9-A10 dopaminergic nuclei of the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area. Forebrain sections were processed for immunocytochemical detection of PHA-L and parvalbumin (PV) at light and electron microscopic levels. At the ultrastructural level, PHA-L-labeled terminals were found to establish synaptic contacts with PV-immunoreactive neuronal somata in the ventromedial globus pallidus, the ventral pallidum, the internal capsule, and the substantia innominata. PV-containing neurons in pallidal and adjacent basal forebrain territories are thus directly targeted by presumably A9-A10 dopaminergic neurons and represent a novel aspect of midbrain dopaminergic control of basal forebrain neuronal activity.
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Ratgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Gaykema
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zaborszky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010320:Parvalbumins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017557:Ventral Tegmental Area / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010320:Parvalbumins; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; C100156:leukoagglutinins, plants; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid