Pattern of distribution of serotonergic fibers to the amygdala and extended amygdala in the rat

As is well recognized, serotonergic (5‐HT) fibers distribute widely throughout the forebrain, including the amygdala. Although a few reports have examined the 5‐HT innervation of select nuclei of the amygdala in the rat, no previous report has described overall 5‐HT projections to the amygdala in the rat. Using immunostaining for the serotonin transporter, SERT, we describe the complete pattern of distribution of 5‐HT fibers to the amygdala (proper) and to the extended amygdala in the rat. Based on its ontogenetic origins, the amygdala was subdivided into two major parts, pallial and subpallial components, with the pallial component further divided into superficial and deep nuclei (Olucha‐Bordonau et al. 2015). SERT⁺ fibers were shown to distributed moderately to densely to the deep and cortical pallial nuclei, but, by contrast, lightly to the subpallial nuclei. Specifically, 1) of the deep pallial nuclei, the lateral, basolateral, and basomedial nuclei contained a very dense concentration of 5‐HT fibers; 2) of the cortical pallial nuclei, the anterior cortical and amygdala–cortical transition zone rostrally and the posteromedial and posterolateral nuclei caudally contained a moderate concentration of 5‐HT fibers; and 3) of the subpallial nuclei, the anterior nuclei and the rostral part of the medial (Me) nuclei contained a moderate concentration of 5‐HT fibers, whereas caudal regions of Me as well as the central nuclei and the intercalated nuclei contained a sparse/light concentration of 5‐HT fibers. With regard to the extended amygdala (primarily the bed nucleus of stria terminalis; BST), on the whole, the BST contained moderate numbers of 5‐HT fibers, spread fairly uniformly throughout BST. The findings are discussed with respect to a critical serotonergic influence on the amygdala, particularly on the basal complex, and on the extended amygdala in the control of states of fear and anxiety. J. Comp. Neurol. 525:116–139, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.