The term nuclei of stria terminalis (NST) refers to a predominantly cellular structure defined on the basis of Nissl stain that wraps around the dorsal, rostral and ventral surfaces of the anterior commissure. It is bounded laterally by the internal capsule, medially by the anterior column of the fornix and the lateral septal nucleus, and dorsally by the head of the caudate nucleus and the frontal horn of the lateral ventricle. It is found in the human, the macaque, the rat and the mouse. Classically it is categorized as one of the septal nuclei ( Andy-1968 ). In recent decades, however, authors have, on the basis of other stains and connectivity studies, subdivided it and incorporated it into a broader concept: (bed) nuclei of stria terminalis. This includes cell groups classically identified with parts of the anterior hypothalamic region and the substantia innominata. In the Functional CNS Model - Rat the nuclei of stria terminalis are categorized as part of the ventral pallidum ( Swanson-2004 ). Updated 19 May 2025.