Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Anatomy logoLink to Journal of Anatomy
. 2001 Jan;198(Pt 1):37–45. doi: 10.1046/j.1469-7580.2001.19810037.x

Cerebellar connections to the dorsomedial and posterior nuclei of the hypothalamus in the rat

SAFİYE ÇAVDAR 1 , TANGÜL ŞAN 2 , REZZAN AKER 3 , ÜMİT ŞEHİRLİ 1 , FİLİZ ONAT 3 ,✉
PMCID: PMC1468189  PMID: 11215766

Abstract

The stimulation or ablation of cerebellar structures has produced a variety of visceral responses, indicating a cerebellar role in visceral functions. Studies using anterograde and retrograde tracing methods have revealed connections between the hypothalamus and cerebellar structures. The aim of this study is to investigate the cerebellar connections of the dorsomedial (DMH) and posterior hypothalamic nuclei using retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). In the present study, micro-injection of HRP restricted within the borders of the DMH showed that the projections of this nucleus are not uniform throughout its extent. The posterior DMH receives projections from the cerebellum, whereas the anterior DMH does not. These projections were from the (greatest to least concentration) lateral (dentate), anterior interposed (emboliform), and medial (fastigial) cerebellar nuclei. In addition, both the anterior and posterior DMH receive projections from various areas of the brainstem which confirms earlier studies and provides detailed descriptions. This study also demonstrates the distribution of labelled neurons to cerebellar and brainstem nuclei following HRP injection into the posterior hypothalamic nucleus. It provides clear evidence for a direct cerebellar nuclei-posterior DMH and cerebellar nuclei-posterior hypothalamic nucleus connections. We suggest that the brainstem reticular nuclei and other connections, such as the solitary, trigeminal and vestibular nuclei, of both DMH and posterior hypothalamus may contribute to the indirect cerebellohypothalamic connections. These observations offer a new perspective on the question of how the cerebellum may influence autonomic activity.

Keywords: Dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus, posterior hypothalamic nucleus, cerebellum

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (929.4 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Achari N. K., al-Ubaidy S., Downman C. B. Cardiovascular responses elicited by fastigial and hypothalamic stimulation in conscious cats. Brain Res. 1973 Oct 12;60(2):439–447. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(73)90801-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BAN T. THE HYPOTHALAMUS, ESPECIALLY ON ITS FIBER CONNECTIONS, AND THE SEPTO-PREOPTICO-HYPOTHALAMIC SYSTEM. Med J Osaka Univ. 1964 Jun;15:1–83. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Chida K., Iadecola C., Underwood M. D., Reis D. J. A novel vasodepressor response elicited from the rat cerebellar fastigial nucleus: the fastigial depressor response. Brain Res. 1986 Apr 9;370(2):378–382. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(86)90498-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dalton L. D., Carpenter R. G., Grossman S. P. Ingestive behavior in adult rats with dorsomedial hypothalamic lesions. Physiol Behav. 1981 Jan;26(1):117–123. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(81)90086-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Dietrichs E. Cerebellar autonomic function: direct hypothalamocerebellar pathway. Science. 1984 Feb 10;223(4636):591–593. doi: 10.1126/science.6198719. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Dietrichs E., Haines D. E. Demonstration of hypothalamo-cerebellar and cerebello-hypothalamic fibres in a prosimian primate (Galago crassicaudatus). Anat Embryol (Berl) 1984;170(3):313–318. doi: 10.1007/BF00318735. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Dietrichs E., Haines D. E. Do the same hypothalamic neurons project to both amygdala and cerebellum? Brain Res. 1986 Feb 5;364(2):241–248. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(86)90836-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Dietrichs E., Haines D. E., Qvist H. Indirect hypothalamo-cerebellar pathway? Demonstration of hypothalamic efferents to the lateral reticular nucleus. Exp Brain Res. 1985;60(3):483–491. doi: 10.1007/BF00236933. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Dietrichs E., Walberg F., Haines D. E. Cerebellar nuclear afferents from feline hypothalamus demonstrated by retrograde transport after implantation of crystalline wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase complex. Neurosci Lett. 1985 Mar 15;54(2-3):129–133. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3940(85)80067-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Dietrichs E., Zheng Z. H. Are hypothalamo-cerebellar fibers collaterals from the hypothalamo-spinal projection? Brain Res. 1984 Apr 2;296(2):225–231. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(84)90060-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Eferakeya A., Buñag R. D. Adrenomedullary pressor responses during posterior hypothalamic stimulation. Am J Physiol. 1974 Jul;227(1):114–118. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1974.227.1.114. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Gören Z., Aslan N., Berkman K., Oktay S., Onat F. The role of amygdala and hypothalamus in GABAA antagonist bicuculline-induced cardiovascular responses in conscious rats. Brain Res. 1996 May 25;722(1-2):118–124. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(96)00201-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Haines D. E., Dietrichs E., Culberson J. L., Sowa T. E. The organization of hypothalamocerebellar cortical fibers in the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus). J Comp Neurol. 1986 Aug 15;250(3):377–388. doi: 10.1002/cne.902500310. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Haines D. E., Dietrichs E., Mihailoff G. A., McDonald E. F. The cerebellar-hypothalamic axis: basic circuits and clinical observations. Int Rev Neurobiol. 1997;41:83–107. doi: 10.1016/s0074-7742(08)60348-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Haines D. E., Dietrichs E., Sowa T. E. Hypothalamo-cerebellar and cerebello-hypothalamic pathways: a review and hypothesis concerning cerebellar circuits which may influence autonomic centers affective behavior. Brain Behav Evol. 1984;24(4):198–220. doi: 10.1159/000121317. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Haines D. E., May P. J., Dietrichs E. Neuronal connections between the cerebellar nuclei and hypothalamus in Macaca fascicularis: cerebello-visceral circuits. J Comp Neurol. 1990 Sep 1;299(1):106–122. doi: 10.1002/cne.902990108. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Haines D. E., Sowa T. E., Dietrichs E. Connections between the cerebellum and hypothalamus in the tree shrew (Tupaia glis). Brain Res. 1985 Mar 4;328(2):367–373. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(85)91051-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Inglefield J. R., Schwarzkopf S. B., Kellogg C. K. Alterations in behavioral responses to stressors following excitotoxin lesions of dorsomedial hypothalamic regions. Brain Res. 1994 Jan 7;633(1-2):151–161. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(94)91534-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Martner J. Cerebellar influences on autonomic mechanisms. An experimental study in the cat with special reference to the fastigial nucleus. Acta Physiol Scand Suppl. 1975;425:1–42. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Mesulam M. M. Tetramethyl benzidine for horseradish peroxidase neurohistochemistry: a non-carcinogenic blue reaction product with superior sensitivity for visualizing neural afferents and efferents. J Histochem Cytochem. 1978 Feb;26(2):106–117. doi: 10.1177/26.2.24068. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Min B. I., Oomura Y., Katafuchi T. Responses of rat lateral hypothalamic neuronal activity to fastigial nucleus stimulation. J Neurophysiol. 1989 Jun;61(6):1178–1184. doi: 10.1152/jn.1989.61.6.1178. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Miura M., Reis D. J. A blood pressure response from fastigial nucleus and its relay pathway in brainstem. Am J Physiol. 1970 Nov;219(5):1330–1336. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1970.219.5.1330. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Miura M., Reis D. J. Cerebellum: a pressor response elicited from the fastigial nucleus and its efferent pathway in brainstem. Brain Res. 1969 May;13(3):595–599. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(69)90269-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Nakai M., Iadecola C., Ruggiero D. A., Tucker L. W., Reis D. J. Electrical stimulation of cerebellar fastigial nucleus increases cerebral cortical blood flow without change in local metabolism: evidence for an intrinsic system in brain for primary vasodilation. Brain Res. 1983 Jan 31;260(1):35–49. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(83)90762-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. SAWYER C. H., HILLIARD J., BAN T. Autonomic and EEG responses to cerebellar stimulation in rabbits. Am J Physiol. 1961 Mar;200:405–412. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1961.200.3.405. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Somana R., Walberg F. The cerebellar projection from the parabrachial nucleus in the cat. Brain Res. 1979 Aug 17;172(1):144–149. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(79)90902-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. WHITESIDE J. A., SNIDER R. S. Relation of cerebellum to upper brain stem. J Neurophysiol. 1953 Jul;16(4):397–413. doi: 10.1152/jn.1953.16.4.397. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Waldrop T. G., Bauer R. M., Iwamoto G. A. Microinjection of GABA antagonists into the posterior hypothalamus elicits locomotor activity and a cardiorespiratory activation. Brain Res. 1988 Mar 15;444(1):84–94. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(88)90916-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Yoshimatsu H., Niijima A., Oomura Y., Yamabe K., Katafuchi T. Effects of hypothalamic lesion on pancreatic autonomic nerve activity in the rat. Brain Res. 1984 Jun 11;303(1):147–152. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(84)90222-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Zheng Z. H., Dietrichs E., Walberg F. Cerebellar afferent fibres from the dorsal motor vagal nucleus in the cat. Neurosci Lett. 1982 Oct 8;32(2):113–118. doi: 10.1016/0304-3940(82)90259-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. ter Horst G. J., Luiten P. G. The projections of the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus in the rat. Brain Res Bull. 1986 Feb;16(2):231–248. doi: 10.1016/0361-9230(86)90038-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Anatomy are provided here courtesy of Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland

RESOURCES