ORTHODROMIC ACTIVATION OF PEPTIDERGIC CELLS IN THE MEDIAL AMYGDALA

Electrical recordings from vasopressin-containing cells in the medial amygdala were obtained. Electrical stimulation of one major afferent s tructure, the accessory olfactory bulb, invariably elicited single uni t discharge in the peptidergic cells and set up a held potential indic ating widespread excitation in the structure. Pheromonal stimuli, norm ally borne into the brain by the accessory olfactory bulb, were ineffe ctive in activating the medial amygdala. These results in combination with preexisting research suggest that the accessory olfactory bulb is an important influence, but not the only influence, on the activity o f the peptidergic cells. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.