Role of the Basal Forebrain Neurons in Cortical Activation and Behavioural State Regulation

BF projections to the thalamus

To Dr. Jones (#0891): Thank you for a stimulating and scholarly poster. The new data are very exciting, and I appreciate a historical perspective as well. My question is about the BF projections to the thalamus. Could you comment on how they fit into your theory? My understanding is that the BF projects to the reticular (in part, cholinergic and GABAerigc) and mediodorsal (in part, GABAergic) thalamic nuclei in rat, and in cat, to the anterior and ventromedial nuclei as well (in part, cholinergic). BF neurons could therefore influence cortical neurons not only through their direct projections to the cortex, but also through the thalamus. Some cholinergic BF neurons actually project to both the thalamus and cortex (Jourdain et al., 1989). Do the BF projections to the thalamus represent one mechanism for interaction between thalamocortical and basalo-cortical systems?

Mon Dec 7