olfactory tubercle
Acronym: Tu
The term olfactory tubercle refers to a predominantly cellular structure defined on the basis of Nissl stain. It is located on the ventral surface of the endbrain caudal to the anterior olfactory nucleus, medial to the olfactory tract, rostral to the piriform area and ventral to the nucleus accumbens and substantia innominata. It contains some of the islands of Calleja.
     In the human it is so little developed as to be barely distinguishable from the overlying nucleus accumbens. In the macaque it is somewhat more prominent and bounded medially by the tenia tecta ( Price-2004 ). In primates it does not protrude from surrounding areas and is penetrated by numerous small blood vessels. These give it the appearance on dissection that accounts for the name 'anterior perforated substance' in human neuroanatomy ( Crosby-1962 ).
     The location in the rat ( Swanson-2004 ) and the mouse ( Hof-2000 ) is the same as in the macaque. It protrudes on the rostroventral surface of the endbrain where it is more clearly stratified and much larger in proportion to the size of the brain than in primates. It is involved in the sense of smell.

Also known as: anterior perforated space, anterior perforated substance, Tuberculum olfactoriumNeuroNames ID : 282


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