Functional neuroanatomy of the parahippocampal region in the rat: the perirhinal and postrhinal cortices. 2007

Sharon C Furtak, and Shau-Ming Wei, and Kara L Agster, and Rebecca D Burwell
Department of Psychology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.

The parahippocampal region in the rodent brain includes the perirhinal, postrhinal, and entorhinal cortices, the presubiculum, and the parasubiculum. In recent years, the perirhinal and postrhinal cortices have been a focus in memory research because they supply highly processed, polymodal sensory information to the hippocampus, both directly and via the entorhinal cortex. Available evidence indicates that these cortices receive different complements of cortical information, which are then forwarded to the hippocampus via parallel pathways. Here we have summarized the cortical, subcortical, and hippocampal connections of the perirhinal and postrhinal cortices in order to provide further insight into the nature of the information that is processed by these regions prior to arriving in the hippocampus. As has been previously described, the cortical afferents of the rodent postrhinal cortex are dominated by structures known to be involved in the processing of visual and spatial information, whereas the cortical afferents of the perirhinal cortex result in remarkable convergence of polymodal sensory information. The two regions are also differentiated by their cortical efferents. The perirhinal cortex projects more strongly to piriform, frontal, and insular regions, whereas the postrhinal cortex projects preferentially to visual and visuospatial regions. The subcortical connections of the two regions provide further evidence that they have different functions. For example, the perirhinal cortex has strong reciprocal connections with the amygdala, which suggest involvement in processing affective stimuli. Subcortical input to the postrhinal cortex is dominated by projections from dorsal thalamic structures, particularly the lateral posterior nucleus. Although the perirhinal and postrhinal cortices are considered to contribute to the episodic memory system, many questions remain about their particular roles. A detailed description of the anatomical connections of the perirhinal and postrhinal cortices will permit the generation of new, anatomically guided, hypotheses about their role in episodic memory and other cognitive processes.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009434 Neural Pathways Neural tracts connecting one part of the nervous system with another. Neural Interconnections,Interconnection, Neural,Interconnections, Neural,Neural Interconnection,Neural Pathway,Pathway, Neural,Pathways, Neural
D009626 Terminology as Topic Works about the terms, expressions, designations, or symbols used in a particular science, discipline, or specialized subject area. Etymology,Nomenclature as Topic,Etymologies
D002540 Cerebral Cortex The thin layer of GRAY MATTER on the surface of the CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES that develops from the TELENCEPHALON and folds into gyri and sulci. It reaches its highest development in humans and is responsible for intellectual faculties and higher mental functions. Allocortex,Archipallium,Cortex Cerebri,Cortical Plate,Paleocortex,Periallocortex,Allocortices,Archipalliums,Cerebral Cortices,Cortex Cerebrus,Cortex, Cerebral,Cortical Plates,Paleocortices,Periallocortices,Plate, Cortical
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D051381 Rats The common name for the genus Rattus. Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus
D020534 Parahippocampal Gyrus A convolution on the inferior surface of each cerebral hemisphere, lying between the hippocampal and collateral sulci. Brodmann Area 27,Brodmann Area 48,Brodmann's Area 27,Brodmann's Area 48,Gyrus Hippocampi,Gyrus Parahippocampalis,Hippocampal Gyrus,Hippocampal Gyri,Parahippocampal Gyri,Posterior Parahippocampal Gyri,Posterior Parahippocampal Gyrus,Presubiculum,Uncus of Parahippocampal Gyrus,Uncus, Parahippocampal Gyrus,Area 27, Brodmann,Area 27, Brodmann's,Area 48, Brodmann,Area 48, Brodmann's,Brodmanns Area 27,Brodmanns Area 48,Gyrus Hippocampus,Gyrus, Hippocampal,Gyrus, Parahippocampal,Gyrus, Posterior Parahippocampal,Parahippocampal Gyrus Uncus,Parahippocampalis, Gyrus,Presubiculums

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