Fig. 4.

The central autonomic network (CAN). Red arrow indicates neuronal input from a variety of sensors to the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). Magenta arrow indicates humoral input via circumventricular organs such as the area postrema (AP). A5, A5 area; AMY, amygdala; ANS, autonomic nervous system; CING, cingulate cortex; CVLM, caudal ventrolateral medulla; DMNX, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve; HACER, hypothalamic area mediating conditioned emotional responses; Hippo, hippocampus; insula, insular cortex; LC, locus ceruleus; PAG, periaquaductal gray region; PBN, parabrachial nucleus; Pre-Bötz, pre-Bötzinger complex; PVN, paraventricular nucleus; raphe, raphe nuclei; RPG, respiratory pattern generator; RTN, retrotrapezoid nucleus; RVLM, rostral ventrolateral medulla; VTA, ventral tegmental area. The anatomic connections in the CAN are complex, but this underestimates the actual complexity because of subnuclei, chemical pathways with different neurotransmitters and cotransmitters, and receptor subtypes and locations.