Topographic organization of collateral projections from the basolateral amygdaloid nucleus to both the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens in the rat.

The basolateral amygdaloid nucleus, a limbic/autonomic center in the basal forebrain, has been known to send projection fibers to the prelimbic and dorsal agranular insular areas in the prefrontal cortex, as well as to the nucleus accumbens. In the present study, we investigated single basolateral amygdaloid nucleus neurons sending their axons to both the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. The fluorescent retrograde double-labeling technique was employed in the rat; True Blue was injected into the prelimbic or dorsal agranular insular cortex, and Diamidino Yellow into the medial or lateral part of the nucleus accumbens. The majority of basolateral amygdaloid nucleus neurons projecting to the dorsal agranular insular cortex or prelimbic cortex were located, respectively, in the rostral two-thirds or caudal two-thirds of the nucleus, while those projecting to the medial or lateral part of the nucleus accumbens were diffusely distributed in the nucleus. Almost 50% of basolateral amygdaloid nucleus neurons projecting to the prelimbic cortex sent their axon collaterals to the medial part of the nucleus accumbens. About 30-40% of basolateral amygdaloid nucleus neurons projecting to the dorsal agranular insular cortex or prelimbic cortex issued their axon collaterals to the lateral part of the nucleus accumbens. The axons bifurcating to both the dorsal agranular insular cortex and lateral part of the nucleus accumbens, those bifurcating to both the prelimbic cortex and lateral part of the nucleus accumbens, or those bifurcating to both the prelimbic cortex and medial part of the nucleus accumbens arose preferentially from the rostral, middle or caudal parts of the basolateral amygdaloid nucleus, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)