Immunocytochemical demonstration of corticoliberin-like immunoreactivity (CLI) in neurones of the rat amygdala central nucleus (ACN).

Anti-corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) antibodies revealed numerous perikarya in the amygdala central nucleus (ACN) of colchicine-injected rats. Most of the immunoreactive processes emerging from these neurone bodies seemed to project to the lateral hypothalamus by the ventral amygdalo-hypothalamic pathway. As well as parvocellular areas of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus where numerous neurones containing corticoliberin-like immunoreactivity (CLI) were demonstrated, ACN is densely innervated by beta-endorphin fibres originating from pro-opiomelanocortin neurones of the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus. The facilitatory influences of the amygdala on the corticotropic axis are most probably mediated by the ACN CLI neurones, the possible infundibular projections of which remain to be demonstrated.