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IntroductionFor a long time the rat has been widely used as a subject for research in the neurosciences. This is chiefly because of its size, resistance to infection and the availability of inbred strains. In recent years, the use of rats has increased significantly, particularly in the field of neurohistochemistry. With increasing public pressure against the use of medium-sized mammals (the monkey, cat and rabbit) in experimental biology, many laboratories have opted to use only small rodents. While the mouse is ideal for studies involving development and genetic selection (because of its short generation time), the rat, having a larger brain, is more appropriate for accurate stereotaxic localization of discrete brain areas.In spite of the pre-eminent popularity of the rat for stereotaxic procedures, there is no atlas of the rat brain based on the convenient flat-skull position that is sufficiently comprehensive and stereotaxically accurate for adult (250-350 g) male rats. In addition, no current atlas has photographs of sufficient magnification to permit investigators to judge for themselves the veracity of the atlas delineations.Before beginning the construction of the present atlas, we surveyed the 181 articles reporting use of stereotaxic surgery in rats which were published during 1980 in three prominent neuroscience journals (Brain Research, Neuroscience Letters and Physiology and Behavior). We did this in order to assess current preferences in stereotaxic methods and nomenclature. In 52% of the studies surveyed, the Kônig and Klippel (1963) atlas was used; in 20%, the Pellegrino and Cushman atlas was used (Pellegrino and Cushman 1967; Pellegrino et al., 1979); and in the remainder, other atlases were used. In 79% of the studies, male rats were used, and the mean weight was 276 g. In 63% of the studies^ bregma was used as the reference point; in 25%, the interaural line; and in 12%, lambda. In 85% of the reports, English or anglicized nomenclature was used for the naming of brain structures.Because the Kônig and Klippel atlas is by far the most widely used atlas of the rat brain, we took note of the advantages of this atlas in the preparation of our own. We believe that the Kônig and Klippel atlas is popular with researchers because its reference system closely approximates the flat-skull position and brain structures are correctly identified in almost every case.

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