Cited by 57Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and ApplicationsMemory and Neural MechanismsMedical and Biological Sciences

Papez’s Forgotten Tract: 80 Years of Unreconciled Findings Concerning the Thalamocingulate Tract

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Weininger, Joshua, Roman, Elena, Tierney, Paul, Barry, Denis, Gallagher, Hugh, Murphy, Paul, Levins, Kirk J., O’Keane, Veronica +2 more·2019·Frontiers in Neuroanatomy

Abstract

The thalamocingulate tract is a key component of the Papez circuit that connects the anterior thalamic nucleus (ATN) to the cingulum bundle. While the other white matter connections, consisting of the fornix, cingulum bundle and mammillothalamic tract, were well defined in Papez's original 1937 paper, the anatomy of the thalamocingulate pathway was mentioned only in passing. Subsequent research has been unable to clarify the precise anatomical trajectory of this tract. In particular, the site of thalamocingulate tract interactions with the cingulum bundle have been inconsistently reported. This review aims to synthesize research on this least studied component of the Papez circuit. A systemic approach to reviewing historical anatomical dissection and neuronal tracing studies as well as contemporary diffusion magnetic resonance imaging studies of the thalamocingulate tract was undertaken across species. We found that although inconsistent, prior research broadly encompasses two differing descriptions of how the ATN interfaces with the cingulum after passing laterally through the anterior limb of the internal capsule. The first group of studies show that the pathway turns medially and rostrally and passes to the anterior cingulate region (Brodmann areas 24, 33, and 32) only. A second group suggests that the thalamocingulate tract interfaces with both the anterior and posterior cingulate (Brodmann areas 23 and 31) and retrosplenial region (Brodmann area 29). We discuss potential reasons for these discrepancies such as altering methodologies and species differences. We also discuss how these inconsistencies may be resolved in further research with refinements of terminology for the cingulate cortex and the thalamocingulate tract. Understanding the precise anatomical course of the last remaining unresolved final white matter tract in the Papez circuit may facilitate accurate investigation of the role of the complete Papez circuit in emotion and memory.

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  • The hippocampus inhibits the HPA axis through its fornix outputs to the hypothalamus.

    “The hippocampus inhibits the HPA axis through its fornix outputs to the hypothalamus (59, 63, 64).”

    From Childhood Trauma, the HPA Axis and Psychiatric Illnesses: A Targeted Literature Synthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [59]

    The Introduction and Figure 1 caption describe the hippocampus, fornix, and hypothalamic mammillary bodies as connected parts of the Papez circuit. They do not say that the hippocampus inhibits the HPA axis or that its fornix outputs mediate such inhibition. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Jones E. G. (2007). The Thalamus. 2nd Edn. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  2. Jones E. G. (2012). The Thalamus, Berlin: Springer Science & Business Media.
  3. Mai J. K. Paxinos G. (2011). The Human Nervous System, Cambridge, MA: Academic Press.

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Authors
Weininger, J., Roman, E., Tierney, P., Barry, D., Gallagher, H., Murphy, P., Levins, K. J., O’Keane, V., O’Hanlon, E., & Roddy, D. W.
Affiliations
  • Trinity College Dublin (IE)
  • St. Vincent's University Hospital (IE)
  • University College Dublin (IE)
Corresponding author
Weininger, Joshua
Venue
Frontiers in Neuroanatomy
Published
2019-02-18
Volume
13
Pages
14-14
ISSN
1662-5129 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2914976815
Cited by
57
References
66
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 1 · 2014: 1
FWCI
0.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Frontiers in Neuroanatomy (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Health Research Board (201651.12553)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Anatomy › Medical and Biological Sciences
Keywords
Papez circuit, anterior thalamic nuclei, cingulum, anterior cingulate cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, retrosplenial cortex, internal capsule, white matter tracts, diffusion MRI, neural tracing, fornix, mammillothalamic tract, emotions, memory

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