Direct connections between the central nucleus of the amygdala and the nucleus of the solitary tract: an electrophysiological study in the rat.

Reciprocal connections between the central nucleus of the amygdala (CNA) and the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) have been implied from anatomical studies in the rat and physiological studies in other species. Our work supports this conclusion in that microstimulation of the NST caused both antidromic and orthodromic activation of neurons in the CNA. The distribution of CNA neurons activated by NST stimulation suggests that the dorsomedial portion of the CNA provides input to the dorsal medulla while the ventrolateral CNA receives input from the NST.