Parallel inputs from the mediodorsal thalamus to the prefrontal cortex in the rat

Fabien Alcaraz, Alain R. Marchand, Gilles Courtand, Etienne Coutureau, Mathieu Wolff
Eur J Neurosci. 2016-07-01; :
DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13316

PubMed
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1. Eur J Neurosci. 2016 Aug;44(3):1972-86. doi: 10.1111/ejn.13316. Epub 2016 Jul 12.

Parallel inputs from the mediodorsal thalamus to the prefrontal cortex in the
rat.

Alcaraz F(1)(2), Marchand AR(1)(2), Courtand G(1)(2), Coutureau E(1)(2), Wolff
M(1)(2).

Author information:
(1)CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, 33076, Bordeaux, France.
(2)Université de Bordeaux, INCIA, UMR 5287, 33076, Bordeaux, France.

There is a growing interest in determining the functional contribution of
thalamic inputs to cortical functions. In the context of adaptive behaviours,
identifying the precise role of the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) in particular
remains difficult despite the large amount of experimental data available. A
better understanding of the thalamocortical connectivity of this region may help
to capture its functional role. To address this issue, this study focused
exclusively on the specific connections from the MD to the prefrontal cortex
(PFC) by means of direct comparisons of labelling produced by single and dual
injections of retrograde tracers in the different subdivisions of the PFC in the
rat. We show that at least three parallel and essentially separate
thalamocortical pathways originate from the MD, as follows: projections to the
dorsal (1) and the ventral (2) subdivisions of the mPFC follow a mediolateral
topography at the thalamic level (i.e. medial thalamic neurons target the mPFC
ventrally whereas lateral thalamic neurons project dorsally), whereas a
considerable innervation to the OFC (3) includes thalamic cells projecting to
both the lateral and the ventral OFC subdivisions. These observations provide new
insight on the functions of the MD and suggest a specific focus on each of these
pathways for future functional studies.

© 2016 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13316
PMID: 27319754 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

Auteurs Bordeaux Neurocampus