A new subdivision of mammalian neostriatum with functional implications to learning and memory

Abstract

A new subdivision with distinctive morphological and functional attributes has been identified at the caudomedial margin of the neostriatum and surrounding the rostrolateral border of the globus pallidus in the brains of the rat, cat, monkey, and human. The subdivision is termed marginal division (MrD) based on its location. It is readily distinguishable from the rest of striatum by consisting of spindle-shaped neurons, special connections, and intensely expressed immunoreactivities of many neuropeptides and some monoamines in the fibers, terminals, and neuronal somata. Three-dimensional reconstruction from Nissl-stained sections of the rat brain revealed that the MrD is a flat, pan-shaped zone between the neostriatum and globus pallidus. Functional neuronal connections were delineated by chemical-induced c-Fos expression between the MrD and hippocampus, amygdala, as well as the basal nucleus of Meynert. In rats with chemical lesions of bilateral MrD, learning and memory functions were severely impaired as demonstrated by double blind Y-maze test. Our results thus suggested that the MrD is a distinct part and a universal structure in the neostriatum of the mammalian brain and might play an important role in the mechanism of learning and memory.