Conrad L C, Pfaff D W
J Comp Neurol. 1976 Sep 15;169(2):221-61. doi: 10.1002/cne.901690206.
Using tritiated amino acid autoradiography, the efferent projections of the anterior hypothalamic area (AHA) were studied in albino rats. Axons from AHA neurons were not confined to local projections in the hypothalamus. Ascending AHA axons ran through the preoptic region, joined the diagonal band and distributed in the lateral septum. Descending AHA efferents within the hypothalamus coursed in a bundle ventromedial to the fornix. Projections were observed to the dorsomedial, ventromedial, arcuate and dorsal premammillary nuclei, and to the median eminence. Sweeping dorsomedially in the posterior hypothalamus, some AHA axons distributed in the central grey. AHA axons staying ventral projected to the supramammillary region, ventral tegmental area, raphe nuclei and midbrain reticular formation. Other AHA efferents distributed to the periventricular thalamus, to the medial amygdala via the stria terminalis or supraoptic commissure, and to the lateral habenula through the stria medullaris. For comparison with the AHA, efferent projections from the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and from the ventromedial nucleus and adjacent basal hypothalamus (VMR) were studied. Projections from PVN neurons were not restricted to the median eminence and neurohypophysis. PVN efferents also distributed to many of the same regions as did those of the AHA but had somewhat different fiber trajectories and longer descending projections. VMR efferents were more widespread than those of the AHA, with projections extending into the lateral zona incerta and pontine reticular formation. Projections from the AHA were distinct from those of the medial preoptic area (mPOA). For example, while AHA axons descended in a bundle ventromedial to the fornix, mPOA axons ran in the medial forebrain bundle. Such anatomical differences may underlie experimentally demonstrated functional differences between the mPOA and AHA, for instance, in mediation of male and female sex behaviors.
利用氚标记氨基酸放射自显影技术，对白化大鼠下丘脑前区（AHA）的传出投射进行了研究。AHA神经元发出的轴突并不局限于下丘脑内的局部投射。AHA的上行轴突穿过视前区，汇入斜角带并分布于外侧隔区。下丘脑内AHA的下行传出纤维束走行于穹窿腹内侧。观察到其投射至背内侧核、腹内侧核、弓状核和乳头体前背核以及正中隆起。部分AHA轴突在后下丘脑背内侧走行并分布于中央灰质。位于腹侧的AHA轴突投射至乳头体上区、腹侧被盖区、中缝核和中脑网状结构。其他AHA传出纤维分布至室周丘脑，经终纹或视上连合投射至内侧杏仁核，并经髓纹投射至外侧缰核。为了与AHA进行比较，对室旁核（PVN）以及腹内侧核和下丘脑基底相邻区域（VMR）的传出投射进行了研究。PVN神经元的投射并不局限于正中隆起和神经垂体。PVN的传出纤维也分布于许多与AHA相同的区域，但纤维走行有所不同，下行投射更长。VMR的传出纤维比AHA的分布更广，其投射延伸至外侧未定带和脑桥网状结构。AHA的投射与内侧视前区（mPOA）的投射不同。例如，AHA轴突在穹窿腹内侧成束下行，而mPOA轴突走行于内侧前脑束。这种解剖学差异可能是mPOA和AHA之间实验证明的功能差异的基础，例如在介导雄性和雌性性行为方面。
