Aarnisalo A A, Panula P
Department of Anatomy, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Neuroscience. 1995 Mar;65(1):175-92. doi: 10.1016/0306-4522(94)00459-i.
Neuropeptide FF (FMRFamide-like peptide, morphine-modulating peptide) is an octapeptide isolated from the bovine brain. There is evidence that neuropeptide FF participates in the modulation of nociceptive mechanisms. Neuropeptide FF acts through its own receptors which are distinct from the opiate receptors. In the rat brain neuropeptide FF is found in two major cell populations. We have studied the efferent connections of the hypothalamic neuropeptide FF-containing cell group, which is located in the medial hypothalamus between the dorsomedial, ventromedial and periventricular hypothalamic nuclei. By using an anterograde tracing method (Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin) combined with double-staining immunohistochemistry we characterized the connections of this cell group with the limbic system, certain hypothalamic nuclei, periaqueductal gray and with the solitary tract nucleus. In the limbic system, the major targets were the lateral septal nucleus, bed nucleus of stria terminalis and certain subnuclei in the amygdala. These connections suggest that neuropeptide FF may act, in addition to its well-characterized action in the sensory system, in limbic functions. Efferent connections to the periaqueductal gray suggest that neuropeptide FF may modulate the opiate mediated analgesia at this site. Good correlation between our results and receptor autoradiography support the idea that the terminal areas which our results show are target areas of the neuropeptide FF-containing system.
神经肽FF（FMRF酰胺样肽，吗啡调节肽）是一种从牛脑中分离出的八肽。有证据表明神经肽FF参与伤害感受机制的调节。神经肽FF通过其自身不同于阿片受体的受体发挥作用。在大鼠脑中，神经肽FF存在于两个主要的细胞群中。我们研究了位于下丘脑内侧、背内侧、腹内侧和室周下丘脑核之间的含神经肽FF的下丘脑细胞群的传出连接。通过使用顺行追踪法（菜豆白细胞凝集素）结合双重免疫组织化学染色，我们确定了该细胞群与边缘系统、某些下丘脑核、导水管周围灰质以及孤束核的连接。在边缘系统中，主要靶点是外侧隔核、终纹床核和杏仁核的某些亚核。这些连接表明，神经肽FF除了在感觉系统中具有明确的作用外，可能还在边缘系统功能中发挥作用。与导水管周围灰质的传出连接表明，神经肽FF可能在此部位调节阿片介导的镇痛作用。我们的结果与受体放射自显影之间的良好相关性支持了这样一种观点，即我们的结果所显示的终末区域是含神经肽FF系统的靶区域。
