Model
Digital Document
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Description
The midline thalamus of rats is anatomically and functionally part of the "limbic" thalamus. The midline thalamic rhomboid nucleus (RH) has not been well characterized. The rhomboid nucleus is located just dorsal to the reuniens nucleus (RE), and just ventral to the central medial nucleus (CeM) of the thalamus. Using the retrograde tracer fluorogold (FG) and anti-FG antibody, we examined afferent projections to RH in the rat. Control injections were also made in CeM and the submedial nucleus of thalamus (SMT). The main sources of input to RH were from the anterior cingulate, agranular insular, orbital, and somatosensory cortices; the claustrum; the reticular nucleus of the thalamus; the posterior hypothalamus; and various brainstem structures. Based on patterns of the afferent projections, the role of RH in arousal, attention, and mnemonic functions is discussed.
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