Central representation of the sympathetic nervous system in the cerebral cortex

The sympathetic-related regions of the cerebral cortex were identified in r at after pseudorabies virus injections were made in functionally different targets: adrenal gland, stellate ganglion which regulates the heart, or cel iac ganglion which innervates the gastrointestinal tract. Extensive transne uronal labeling was found in limbic system areas: (1) extended amygdaloid c omplex, (2) lateral septum, and (3) infralimbic. insular, and ventromedial temporal cortical regions (viz., ectorhinal cortex=Brodmann's area 36, peri rhinal cortex=area 35, lateral entorhinal=area 28, and ventral temporal ass ociation cortex=Te3 region). Deep temporal lobe structures were prominently labeled, including the amygdalopiriform and amygdalohippocampal transition areas, ventral hippocampus and ventral subiculum. The cortical circuits me diating emotional-autonomic changes (i.e., mind-body control) are discussed . (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.