Rat insulin promoter (RIP)-expressing neurons in the hypothalamus control body weight and energy homeostasis. However, genetic approaches to study the role of these neurons have been limited by the fact that RIP expression is predominantly found in pancreatic β-cells, which impedes selective targeting of neurons. To define the function of hypothalamic RIP-expressing neurons, we set out to acute...

The infralimbic area (IL) and prelimbic area (PL) have been postulated as an autonomic motor region in the medial prefrontal cortex. The present study was conducted to reveal the projection sites of IL and PL of the monkey, Macaca fuscata, using biotinylated dextran amine as an anterograde tracer. IL and PL projected densely to the ventromedial caudate nucleus, the core and shell of the nucleus...

Vasopressin (AVP) is a major neuropeptide in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the mammalian hypothalamic circadian pacemaker. Protein kinase Calpha is a putatively coupled intracellular messenger. Mean numbers of AVP- and protein kinase Calpha-immunoreactive neurons were determined in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of common voles, entrained to a 12:12 h light-dark (LD) cycle, at the beginning of the ...

Neuropeptide FF (NPFF) is an octapeptide implicated in a variety of physiological functions, including nociception, cardiovascular responses, and neuroendocrine regulation. The NPFF gene and its mRNA are highly conserved across species. A comparative study of NPFF distribution in the human and rat forebrain was carried out by using single NPFF and double NPFF + vasopressin (VP) immunohistochemi...

Background Chronic stress induces male reproductive dysfunction; however, the involved mechanisms are not clear. It has been suggested that the gonadotrophin-inhibitory hormone, known as RF-amide related peptide (RFRP) in mammalian species, may mediate this inhibitory effect of stress. The objective of the present study was to compare the effect of chronic stress and glucocorticoids receptor an...

The medial amygdaloid nucleus (Me) is a key structure in the control of sociosexual behavior in mice. It receives direct projections from the main and accessory olfactory bulbs (AOB), as well as an important hormonal input. To better understand its behavioral role, in this work we investigate the structures receiving information from the Me, by analysing the efferent projections from its anteri...

Intricate homeostatic mechanisms have been implicated in maintaining the blood glucose concentration over a narrow physiological range. The brain, as well as the peripheral organs such as pancreas, liver, and gastrointestinal tract, is able to sense the nutritional state and secretes specific hormones to maintain metabolic homeostasis. All of these cells contain a high-Km glucose-phosphorylatin...