Efferent connections of the striatum and the nucleus accumbens in the lizard Gekko gecko

Abstract

The efferent connections of the striatum and the nucleus accumbens of the lizard Gekko gecko were studied with the anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin (PHA-L). These structures were found to have segregated output systems. The striatum shows a major projection to the globus pallidus. Striatal fibers which are more caudally directed run through the lateral forebrain bundle and can be traced as far caudally as the pars reticularis of the substantia nigra where they exhibit many varicosities. Along its course, the lateral forebrain bundle issues fibers with varicosities to the anterior and posterior entopeduncular nuclei. The major recipient structure of the nucleus accumbens is the ventral pallidum. The nucleus accumbens, in addition, projects to the portion of the lateral hypothalamus in the path of the medial forebrain bundle and to the ventral tegmental area, which is its most caudal target. Subsequently, the same technique was used in an attempt to study the efferents of the globus pallidus and the ventral pallidum, the major recipient structures of the striatum and the nucleus accumbens. The globus pallidus was found to project to the rostral part of the suprapeduncular nucleus in the ventral thalamus and, in addition, may distribute fibers to the same structures as does the striatum. The ventral pallidum distributes fibers to the ventromedial thalamic nucleus. It probably also projects diffusely to the hypothalamus, the habenula, and the mesencephalic tegmentum.

The Vertebrate mesolimbic reward system and social behavior network: A comparative synthesis

“…Birds: Berk andButler, 1981;Cheng et al, 1987;Wild, 1987;Berk, 1991;Balthazart and Absil, 1997;Medina and Reiner, 1997;Absil et al, 2002;Atoji et al, 2002Atoji et al, , 2006Atoji and Wild, 2004;Montagnese et al, 2008. Reptiles: Russchen andJonker, 1988;Bruce and Neary, 1995a;Smeets and Medina, 1995;Font et al, 1997;Lanuza and Halpern, 1997;Perez-Santana et al, 1997;Novejarque et al, 2004. Amphibians: Allison andWilczynski, 1991;Wilczynski and Northcutt 1983a,b;Marin et al, 1995Marin et al, , 1997aRoth and Westoff, 1999;Sanchez-Camancho et al, 2003;Endepols et al, 2005;Roden et al, 2005.…”

Revised nomenclature for avian telencephalon and some related brainstem nuclei

“…Thus, the region at the rostral ventromedial tip of medial striatum in birds is comparable to the mammalian nucleus accumbens. Moreover, a topographically, hodologically, and neurochemically similar cell group has been identified as the nucleus accumbens in turtles, lizards, and snakes (Russchen et al, 1987;Russchen and Jonker, 1988;Anderson and Reiner, 1990;Reiner and Anderson, 1990;Smeets, 1994;Guirado et al, 1999;Smeets et al, 2001).…”

“…Additionally, it has the cellular neurochemistry, receives the ventral striatal inputs, and has the outputs characteristic of the ventral pallidum of mammals (Kitt and Brauth, 1981;Reiner and Carraway, 1987;Reiner and Anderson, 1990;Veenman and Reiner, 1994;Reiner et al, 1998a;Roberts et al, 2002). A comparable cell group is present in turtles, crocodilians, and lizards Brauth, 1984;Reiner, 1987;Reiner and Carraway, 1987;Russchen et al, 1987;Russchen and Jonker, 1988). The Forum thus recognized this cell group, which has sometimes been called the ventral paleostriatum (Kuenzel and Masson, 1988), and recommended it be referred to as the ventral pallidum (Table 2, Figs.…”

Proliferation, Migration, and Survival of Cells in the Telencephalon of the Ball Python, Python Regius

“…Furthermore, the ACC is essential to the flexible facilitation of rewards and the avoidance of negative stimuli, and the construction of learned incentive structures (Ikemoto and Panksepp, 1999). The mammalian ACC is structurally, hodologicallly, neurochemically, and developmentally similar to the reptilian ACC (Gonzalez et al, 1990;Guirado et al, 1999;Russchen and Jonker, 1988;Smeets and Medina, 1995;Smeets, 1988;Smeets et al, 1986;Smeets et al, 1987). When male Eublepharis macularius (leopard geckos) hatch from eggs incubated at female-biased temperatures, they maintain higher dopamine (DA) levels in the ACC when encountering females, compared to those hatched at malebiased temperatures (Dias et al, 2007).…”

“…Currently, the mammalian, avian, and reptilian STR all appear to be hodologically, neurochemically, and developmentally similar (Gonzalez et al, 1990;Moreno et al, 2010;Russchen and Jonker, 1988;Smeets, 1988;Smeets et al, 1986;Smeets et al, 1987). Lesioning the reptilian STR in male A. carolinensis causes a reduction in male-typical assertation display (Greenberg, 1977).…”