Horseradish peroxidase tracing of the lateral habenular-midbrain raphe nuclei connections in the rat.

Connections of the habenular complex to the nuclei of the midline in the midbrain (interpeduncularis, medianus raphe, and dorsalis raphe) have been studied classically by anterograde degeneration in the monkey, the cat, and marsupials. Passing fibers from the medial septal nucleus and lateral preoptic area, however, have also been demonstrated which can complicate interpretation of these results. In this paper the habenular projections were studied in the rat by the retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). After HRP injections in the medianus raphe nucleus labelled neurons appeared in the lateral habenular nucleus and parafascicular nucleus. Labelled neurons were also found in the lateral habenular nucleus after injections in either the dorsalis raphe nucleus or the caudal central gray substance. The habenular projections were always bilateral. There were no labelled neurons in the medial habenular nucleus after HRP injections in the medianus raphe especially on the dorsalis raphe neurons which have usually been thought of as functionally related to other brainstem structures. The present results suggest also that in the rat the lateral habenular nucleus might be the link between basal forbrain inputs and the limbic midbrain area. Thus, the raphe nuclei of the midbrain appear to be crucial regions for integrating two descending circuits: first, a limbic (through septum) circuit, and, second, a basal forebrain (through lateral habenular-preoptic area) circuit.