Corticotropin releasing factor-containing afferents to the lateral septum of the rat brain.

Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF)-containing afferents to the rat lateral septum (LS) have been determined by means of cobalt-enhanced immunohistochemistry, tracing of retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and by lesioning experiments. When unilateral lesions included the rostral part of the hypothalamus, CRF-like immunoreactive (CRFI) ipsilateral fibers in the LS decreased in number. Lesions in other brain regions did not cause alterations in the septal CRFI fibers. These findings suggest that the septal CRFI fibers originate in the rostral part of the hypothalamus. Furthermore, combined HRP and immunohistochemical staining on the same sections demonstrated double-labeled cells in two discrete areas within the rostral hypothalamus: one was the perifornical hypothalamic area (PeF) at the level of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, and the other was the most caudal part of the anterior hypothalamic nucleus (AHc). These findings show that a large proportion of the CRFI projections to the LS have their origins in the PeF and AHc.