The overall objective of this project is to obtain a better understanding, at the cellular level, of the anatomical and physiological basis of functional interactions between motivation-emotional centers of the brain and motor-behavioral centers of the brain. The proposed studies will focus on the functional interactions between the limbic system and the basal ganglia in the rat brain. Specifically, the nature of basal ganglia neuron circuits involved in processing limbic afferents will be investigated. Since the ventral strio-pallidal system of the basal ganglia receive the bulk of afferent inputs from the limbic system, studies proposed here will determine the synaptic organization of neurons in the ventral strio-pallidal system, and their functional interaction with limbic afferents. The planned studies will use the technique of intracellular recording IN VIVO to analyze physiological properties of neurons in the ventral strio-pallidal system. The nature of afferent inputs from the limbic system will be studied by stimulation of respective limbic nuclei (e.g., amygdala). In addition, we will utilize the technique of intracellular horseradish peroxidase labeling to examine the morphology and the synaptic relationships of the physiologicaly identified neurons, at both the light and the electron microscopic levels. We will also perform studies involving histochemistry and/or immunocytochemistry on tissue containing intracelularly labeled neurons in order to determine the neurochemical properties of the labeled neurons and their synaptic partners. The multidisciplinary studies proposed in this project are unique to the ventral forebrain. The data will enhance our understanding of functional and anatomical properties of neuron circuits in the ventral strio-pallidal system, and the nature of their interactions with the limbic system. The results will be useful in refining present models of basal ganglia functions, and will be necessary for forumulation of both preventive and therapeutic treatments of basal ganglia disorders such as Huntington's Disease and Parkinsonism.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS021003-02
Application #
3401713
Study Section
Neurology B Subcommittee 1 (NEUB)
Project Start
1986-09-01
Project End
1989-08-31
Budget Start
1987-09-01
Budget End
1988-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1987
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
941884009
City
Memphis
State
TN
Country
United States
Zip Code
38163
Kuo, H; Chang, H T (1992) Ventral pallido-striatal pathway in the rat brain: a light and electron microscopic study. J Comp Neurol 321:626-36
Chang, H T; Tian, Q (1991) Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) immunoreactive elements in the caudal ventral striatum of the rat: a light and electron microscopic study. Brain Res Bull 26:947-56
Chang, H T; Kuo, H; Whittaker, J A et al. (1990) Light and electron microscopic analysis of projection neurons retrogradely labeled with Fluoro-Gold: notes on the application of antibodies to Fluoro-Gold. J Neurosci Methods 35:31-7
Chang, H T; Kuo, H (1989) Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the rat substantia innominata and globus pallidus: a light and electron microscopic immunocytochemical study. Brain Res 495:167-72
Chang, H T; Kuo, H (1989) Adrenergic innervation of the substantia innominata: co-localization of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivities within the same axons. Brain Res 503:350-3
Chang, H T (1989) Noradrenergic innervation of the substantia innominata: a light and electron microscopic analysis of dopamine beta-hydroxylase immunoreactive elements in the rat. Exp Neurol 104:101-12
Chang, H T (1988) Substance P-dopamine relationship in the rat substantia nigra: a light and electron microscopy study of double immunocytochemically labeled materials. Brain Res 448:391-6
Chang, H T (1988) Dopamine-acetylcholine interaction in the rat striatum: a dual-labeling immunocytochemical study. Brain Res Bull 21:295-304
Chang, H T; Penny, G R; Kitai, S T (1987) Enkephalinergic-cholinergic interaction in the rat globus pallidus: a pre-embedding double-labeling immunocytochemistry study. Brain Res 426:197-203