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Abstract:
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a center of
integration for limbic information and valence monitoring. The BNST,
sometimes referred to as the extended amygdala, is located in the basal
forebrain and is a sexually dimorphic structure made up of between 12
and 18 sub-nuclei. These sub-nuclei are rich with distinct neuronal
subpopulations of receptors, neurotransmitters, transporters and
proteins. The BNST is important in a range of behaviors such as: the
stress response, extended duration fear states and social behavior, all
crucial determinants of dysfunction in human psychiatric diseases. Most
research on stress and psychiatric diseases has focused on the amygdala,
which regulates immediate responses to fear. However, the BNST, and not
the amygdala, is the center of the psychogenic circuit from the
hippocampus to the paraventricular nucleus. This circuit is important in
the stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Thus, the
BNST has been largely overlooked with respect to its possible
dysregulation in mood and anxiety disorders, social dysfunction and
psychological trauma, all of which have clear gender disparities. In
this review, we will look in-depth at the anatomy and projections of the
BNST, and provide an overview of the current literature on the relevance
of BNST dysregulation in psychiatric diseases.
