Leslie R A
Cell Mol Neurobiol. 1986 Jun;6(2):95-120. doi: 10.1007/BF00711065.
The area postrema is a circumventricular organ of the fourth ventricle of the mammalian brain. Although there are distinct gross anatomical differences in the appearance of this organ between "lower" mammals such as rodents and lagomorphs and "higher" mammals such as carnivores and primates, its fine structure is remarkably similar in all species studied. There are many suggestions in the literature for a specific function for this area of the brain, ranging from its being a chemoreceptive trigger zone for the emetic response to its being a regulatory nucleus for the sleep cycle. The present report describes some comparative studies on the ultrastructure of this organ. This information is discussed in relation to what is known about the neurochemistry of the area postrema and its connections with other brain regions and visceral structures. A suggestion is offered that our current knowledge of the area postrema is consistent with its performing many of its proposed functions in the context of a regulatory ("fine-tuning") center for many autonomic functions.
最后区是哺乳动物脑第四脑室的一个室周器官。尽管在诸如啮齿动物和兔形目动物等“低等”哺乳动物与诸如食肉动物和灵长类动物等“高等”哺乳动物之间，这个器官的外观存在明显的大体解剖学差异，但在所有已研究的物种中，其精细结构都非常相似。文献中有许多关于脑的这个区域特定功能的推测，从它作为催吐反应的化学感受触发区到作为睡眠周期的调节核。本报告描述了关于这个器官超微结构的一些比较研究。结合已知的最后区神经化学及其与其他脑区和内脏结构的连接情况，对这些信息进行了讨论。有人提出，我们目前对最后区的认识与其在许多自主功能的调节（“微调”）中心背景下执行其许多推测功能是一致的。
