PROJECTIONS FROM VENTROLATERAL HYPOTHALAMIC NEURONS CONTAINING PROGESTIN RECEPTOR-IMMUNOREACTIVITY AND SUBSTANCE P-IMMUNOREACTIVITY TO SPECIFIC FOREBRAIN AND MIDBRAIN AREAS IN FEMALE GUINEA-PIGS

Many neurons within the ventrolateral hypothalamus in guinea pigs contain estrogen-induced progestin receptors as well as substance P. Retrograde tracing combined with immunocytochemistry was used to determine the specific projections of this subset of steroid-sensitive cells. Unilateral Fluoro-Gold injections into the dorsal midbrain, including the central gray, labeled a large proportion of the ventrolateral hypothalamic neurons immunoreactive for both progestin receptors and substance P (approximately 30%); substantially fewer of these neurons were labeled by unilateral Fluoro-Gold injections into the preoptic area (approximately 6%), medial amygdala (approximately 10%), or the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (approximately 11%). The projections of progestin receptor-immunoreactive neurons in the ventrolateral hypothalamus were similar to those of progestin receptor/substance P double-labeled neurons, while a slightly lower percentage of the ventrolateral hypothalamic, substance P-immunoreactive neurons tended to project to each of these areas. These pathways may prove to be components of the neural circuitry underlying a variety of functions influenced by gonadal steroid hormones and substance P, such as female sexual behavior, salt intake, nociception and aggression.