Saper C B, Swanson L W, Cowan W M
J Comp Neurol. 1976 Oct 15;169(4):409-42. doi: 10.1002/cne.901690403.
The efferent connections of the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) of the rat have been examined using the autoradiographic method. Following injections of small amounts (0.4-2.0 muCi) of tritium labeled amino acids, fibers from the VMH can be traced forward through the periventricular region, the medial hypothalamus and the medial forebrain bundle to the preoptic and thalamic periventricular nuclei, to the medial and lateral preoptic areas, to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and to the ventral part of the lateral septum. Some labeled axons continue through the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis into the stria itself, and hence to the amygdala, where they join other fibers which follow a ventral amygdalopetal route from the lateral hypothalamic area and ventral supraoptic commissure. These fibers terminate in the dorsal part of the medial amygdaloid nucleus and in the capsule of the central nucleus. A lesser number of rostrally directed fibers from the VMH crosses the midline in the ventral supraoptic commissure and contributes a sparse projection to the contralateral amygdala. Descending fibers from the VMH take three routes: (i) through the medial hypothalamus and medial forebrain bundle; (ii) through the periventricular region; and (iii) bilaterally through the ventral supraoptic commissure. These three pathways are interconnected by labeled fibers so that it is not possible to precisely identify their respective terminations. However, the periventricular fibers seem to project primarily to the posterior hypothalamic area and central gray, as far caudally as the anterior pole of the locus coeruleus, while the medial hypothalamic and medial forebrain bundle fibers apparently terminate mainly in the capsule of the mammillary complex, in the supramammillary nucleus and in the ventral tegmental area. The ventral supraoptic commissure fibers leave the hypothalamus closely applied to the medial edges of the two optic tracts. After giving off their contributions to the amygdala, they continue caudally until they cross the dorsal edge of the cerebral peduncle to enter the zona incerta. Some fibers probably terminate here, but others continue caudally to end in the dentral tegmental fields, and particularly in the peripeduncular nucleus. Within the hypothalamus, the VMH appears to project extensively to the surrounding nuclei. However, we have not been able to find evidence for a projection from the VMH to the median eminence. Isotope injections which differentially label the dorsomedial or the ventrolateral parts of the VMH have shown that most of the long connections (to the septum, amygdala, central tegmental fields and locus coeruleus) originate in the ventrolateral VMH, and there is also some evidence for a topographic organization within the projections of this subdivision of the nucleus.
采用放射自显影法研究了大鼠下丘脑腹内侧核（VMH）的传出联系。注射少量（0.4 - 2.0微居里）氚标记的氨基酸后，VMH发出的纤维可向前追踪，经室周区、下丘脑内侧和内侧前脑束至视前和丘脑室周核、内侧和外侧视前区、终纹床核及外侧隔腹侧部。一些标记轴突经终纹床核进入终纹，进而至杏仁核，在此与来自下丘脑外侧区和腹侧视上连合的沿腹侧杏仁体传入路径走行的其他纤维会合。这些纤维终止于杏仁内侧核背侧部和中央核被囊。VMH发出的少量向前投射的纤维在腹侧视上连合处交叉中线，向对侧杏仁核发出稀疏投射。VMH发出的下行纤维走行三条路径：（i）经下丘脑内侧和内侧前脑束；（ii）经室周区；（iii）双侧经腹侧视上连合。这三条通路由标记纤维相互连接，因此无法精确确定其各自的终止部位。然而，室周纤维似乎主要投射至下丘脑后区和中央灰质，尾端可达蓝斑前极，而下丘脑内侧和内侧前脑束纤维显然主要终止于乳头体复合体被囊、乳头体上核及腹侧被盖区。腹侧视上连合纤维紧贴两条视束内侧缘离开下丘脑。在对杏仁核发出纤维后，它们继续向尾端走行，直至越过大脑脚背侧缘进入未定带。一些纤维可能在此终止，但其他纤维继续向尾端走行，终止于齿状被盖区，尤其是脚周核。在下丘脑内，VMH似乎广泛投射至周围核团。然而，我们未能找到VMH向正中隆起投射的证据。对VMH背内侧或腹外侧部分进行差异标记的同位素注射显示，大多数长距离联系（至隔区、杏仁核、中央被盖区和蓝斑）起源于VMH腹外侧部，并且在该核团这一亚区的投射中也有一些拓扑组织的证据。
