| Abstract: | The distribution of primuline-labeled dopamine-containing neurons in the rat forebrain was investigated by combining catecholamine fluorescence and retrograde neuronal labeling techniques following injection of fluorochrome into the upper thoracic spinal cord. It was found that only diencephalic neurons of catecholamine-containing group All, located in the dorsal hypothalamus and the caudal thalamus send out direct projections to the spinal cord. Cells of nonidentified transmitter category were also primuline-labeled in this area. An average of 173±4 catecholamine-containing neurons were revealed in group All, of which 86 were retrogradely labeled with primuline. Numbers of labeled dopamine-containing neurons increased, traveling in a rostro-caudal direction. The functional role which may be played by the dopaminergic diencephalo-spinal neuronal system described is discussed.S. V. Kurashov Medical Institute, Ministry of Public Health of the RSFSR, Kazan'. Translated from Neirofiziologiya, Vol. 19, No. 6, pp. 771–779, November–December, 1987. |
