Effects of electrical stimulation of the central nucleus of the amygdala and the lateral hypothalamic area on the oval nucleus of the bed nuclei of the stria terminalis and its adjacent areas in the rat.

Our recent studies demonstrated that there are reciprocal connections between the oval nucleus (Ov) of the bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BST) and the central nucleus of the amygdala (Ce) or the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA). The present experiments found that spontaneous unit discharges of 73 neurons in the Ov and its adjacent areas were modified in 58 neurons (79.45%) by focal brain stimulation in the Ce. After focal LHA stimulation, the spontaneous unit discharges of 23 (53.49%) of 43 Ov neurons, which could be influenced by focal Ce stimulation, were changed. Thirteen Ov neurons were antidromically activated by focal Ce or LHA stimulation. These results indicate that: (1) neuronal activities in the Ov and its adjacent areas can be modulated by Ce or LHA; (2) there are functional reciprocal connections between Ov and Ce or LHA; and (3) the Ce and LHA afferents converge upon some Ov neurons.