Quantitative autoradiographic maps of local cerebral glucose metabolism in awake rats: I. Septal region and anterior hypothalamus.

Quantitative 14C-2-deoxyglucose autoradiography was used to determine the local cerebral glucose metabolic rate (lCMRG) of nuclei in the septal region and anterior hypothalamus of awake, unanesthetized rats. The lCMRG of the medial and lateral septal areas, preoptic areas, medial preoptic nuclei, suprachiasmatic nuclei, supraoptic nuclei, anterior hypothalamic nuclei, and paraventricular nuclei were measured. The lCMRG of each nucleus was mapped at successive rostral-caudal levels to determine significant internuclear and intranuclear variations. These data provide a detailed neuroanatomic map of cerebral energy metabolism of the septal and anterior hypothalamic regions in animals under standardized conditions.