Projections from bed nuclei of the stria terminalis, dorsomedial nucleus: Implications for cerebral hemisphere integration of neuroendocrine, autonomic, and drinking responses

Abstract

The overall projection pattern of a tiny bed nuclei of the stria terminalis anteromedial group differentiation, the dorsomedial nucleus (BSTdm), was analyzed with the PHAL anterograde pathway-tracing method in rats. Many brain regions receive a relatively moderate to strong input from the BSTdm. They fall into 8 general categories: humeral sensory-related (subfornical organ and median preoptic nucleus-involved in initiating drinking behavior and salt appetite), neuroendocrine system (magnocellular: oxytocin, vasopressin; parvicellular: gonadotropinreleasing hormone, somatostatin, thyrotropin-releasing hormone, corticotropin-releasing hormone), central autonomic control network (central amygdalar nucleus, BST anterolateral group, descending paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, retrochiasmatic area, ventrolateral periaqueductal gray, Barrington's nucleus), hypothalamic visceromotor pattern generator network (5 of 6 known components), behavior control column (ingestive: descending paraventricular nucleus; reproductive: lateral medial preoptic nucleus; defensive: anterior hypothalamic nucleus; foraging: ventral tegmental area, along with interconnected nucleus accumbens and substantia innominata), orofacial motor control (retrorubral area), thalamocortical feedback loops (paraventricular, central medial, intermediodorsal, and medial mediodorsal nuclei; nucleus reuniens), and behavioral state control (subparaventricular zone, ventrolateral preoptic nucleus, tuberomammillary nucleus, supramammillary nucleus, lateral habenula, and raphé nuclei). This pattern of axonal projections, and what little is known of its inputs, suggest that the BSTdm is part of a striatopallidal differentiation involved in coordinating the homeostatic and behavioral responses associated thirst and salt appetite, although clearly it may relate them to other functions as well. The BSTdm generates the densest known inputs directly to the neuroendocrine system from any part of the cerebral hemispheres.

Network architecture of the cerebral nuclei (basal ganglia) association and commissural connectome

“…Furthermore, the nine members of the rich club (and the subset of putative hubs within it: SI, BSTam, BSTv, BSTdm, BSTal, BSTrh, BSTif, BSTtr, and MEAad) all reside in M2 and M3, and the extrinsic connections of the rich club predict that collectively they coordinate somatic, autonomic, and neuroendocrine responses in motivated survival behaviors, including reproductive, fight or flight, eating and drinking, and foraging (5,(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25).…”

“…(3, 4), whereas the other three modules (M2-M4) receive their major input from limbic cortex and are involved in motivated behavioral mechanisms (4,5,7,17,18). As broad generalizations, module 2 contains the central amygdalar nucleus and anterior division of the bed nuclei of the terminal stria and has been most notably implicated in homeostatic behaviors (for example, eating and drinking) and anxiety (17,20,21,22,23); module 3 contains the medial amygdalar nucleus and posterior division of the bed nuclei of the terminal stria and has been implicated most notably in social interactions and responding to threats in the environment (17,24,25); and module 4 receives its major inputs from the hippocampus and may thus play a role in spatial and mnemonic influences on motivated behavior in general (18).…”

Connections of the lateral hypothalamic area juxtadorsomedial region in the male rat

“…The LHA is not alone in being a region comprised of subregions identifiable one from another by their differentiated cytoarchitecture and connections; the LHA is also not alone in (Dong and Swanson, 2006b) revealed the existence of output connections that were distinct in some respects yet different in others. On the basis of these connectional differences and a reexamination of the cytoarchitecture, a revision to a previously proposed boundary for the BSTdm was suggested (Dong and Swanson, 2006b).…”

“…For further examples of this basic pattern of organization, one can turn to the lateral septal complex (LS) (Risold and Swanson, 1997a, b), and the bed nuclei of the stria terminals (BST) (e.g., Dong and Swanson, 2006a, b). For example, previous studies on the connections of BST antermodial area (am) (Dong and Swanson, 2006a) and BST dorsomedial nucleus (dm) (Dong and Swanson, 2006b) revealed the existence of output connections that were distinct in some respects yet different in others. On the basis of these connectional differences and a reexamination of the cytoarchitecture, a revision to a previously proposed boundary for the BSTdm was suggested (Dong and Swanson, 2006b).…”

“…Nevertheless, given the similarity in the connection profiles of the LHAjp and LHAjd, and because we discussed at length the connections of the LHAjp in the previous work (Hahn and Swanson, 2010), in this discussion we focus mainly on the connections of the LHAjd that differ from those of LHAjp; in addition, guided by novel findings, we also consider similarities in their connections. However, before launching into this discussion, a review of the basis and validity of the current LHA parcellation scheme, in light of current results, seems pertinent.The LHA is not alone in being a region comprised of subregions identifiable one from another by their differentiated cytoarchitecture and connections; the LHA is also not alone in (Dong and Swanson, 2006b) revealed the existence of output connections that were distinct in some respects yet different in others. On the basis of these connectional differences and a reexamination of the cytoarchitecture, a revision to a previously proposed boundary for the BSTdm was suggested (Dong and Swanson, 2006b).…”