title: Limbic thalamus and state-dependent behavior: The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamic midline as a node in circadian timing and sleep/wake-regulatory networks.
abstract: The paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PVT), the main component of the dorsal thalamic midline, receives multiple inputs from the brain stem and hypothalamus, and targets the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens and amygdala. PVT has been implicated in several functions, especially adaptation to chronic stress, addiction behaviors and reward, mood, emotion. We here focus on the wiring and neuronal properties linking PVT with circadian timing and sleep/wake regulation, and their behavioral implications. PVT is interconnected with the master circadian pacemaker, the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus, receives direct and indirect photic input, is densely innervated by orexinergic neurons which play a key role in arousal and state transitions. Endowed with prominent wake-related Fos expression which is suppressed by sleep, and with intrinsic neuronal properties showing a diurnal oscillation unique in the thalamus, PVT could represent a station of interaction of thalamic and hypothalamic sleep/wake-regulatory mechanisms. PVT could thus play a strategic task by funneling into limbic and limbic-related targets circadian timing and state-dependent behavior information, tailoring it for cognitive performance and motivated behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Colavito
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tesoriero
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Amenu T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Wirtu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Gigliola
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grassi-Zucconi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Italy. Electronic address: marina.bentivoglio@univr.it.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bentivoglio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057906:Circadian Clocks; D006801:Humans; D008032:Limbic System / Q000502:physiology; D020644:Midline Thalamic Nuclei / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D000068797:Orexins / Q000502:physiology; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism; D012890:Sleep; D013493:Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / Q000502:physiology; D014851:Wakefulness
chemical_list: D000068797:Orexins; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos
keywords: Circadian rhythms; Clock genes; Emotion; Fos; Hypocretin; Light; Mood; Orexin; Reward; Sleep; Stress; Suprachiasmatic nucleus