nuclei of stria terminalis

nuclei of stria terminalis (NST)

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.

Also known as: nucleus of the stria terminalis, nucleus of stria terminalis, Nucleus striae terminalis, Nucleus interstitialis striae terminalis, interstitial nucleus of stria terminalis, intercalate nucleus of stria terminalis, bed nucleus of stria terminalis, nuclei of stria terminalis

NeuroNames ID: 267

All Names & Sources

1 of 14

Showing 14 synonym(s) - Use arrows to navigate

Showing 14 synonym(s)

Name:

nucleus of the stria terminalis

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Carpenter-1983

Citation:

Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins Co., 1983

Source Title:

Human Neuroanatomy

Name:

nucleus of stria terminalis

Language:

English

Organism:

Macaca fascicularis

Source:

Martin-1997

Citation:

Primate Information Center, University of Washington, Seattle, 1997.

Source Title:

Template Atlas of the Primate Brain

Name:

Nucleus striae terminalis

Language:

Latin

Organism:

Macaca fascicularis

Source:

Shantha-1968

Citation:

Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1968

Source Title:

A Stereotaxic Atlas Of The Java Monkey Brain (Macaca irus)

Name:

Nucleus interstitialis striae terminalis

Language:

Latin

Organism:

human

Source:

Mai-1997

Citation:

San Diego: Academic Press, 1997

Source Title:

Atlas of the Human Brain

Name:

interstitial nucleus of stria terminalis

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Mai-1997

Citation:

San Diego: Academic Press, 1997

Source Title:

Atlas of the Human Brain

Name:

intercalate nucleus of stria terminalis

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Crosby-1962

Citation:

New York: MacMillan, 1962

Source Title:

Correlative Anatomy of the Nervous System

Name:

bed nucleus of stria terminalis

Language:

English

Organism:

human

Source:

Andy-1968

Citation:

J Comp Neurol 1968 Jul;133(3):383-410

Source Title:

The septum in the human brain

Name:

bed nucleus of stria terminalis

Language:

English

Organism:

rat

Source:

Bowden-1997

Citation:

Source Title:

A digital Rosetta stone for primate brain terminology

Name:

StT

Language:

acronym

Organism:

macaque

Source:

Martin-2000

Citation:

Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2000

Source Title:

Primate Brain Maps: Structure Of The Macaque Brain

Name:

BST

Language:

acronym

Organism:

mouse

Source:

Paxinos-2001

Citation:

Second Edition, Academic Press, San Diego, 2001

Source Title:

The Mouse Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates

Name:

Language:

acronym

Organism:

Macaca mulatta

Source:

Paxinos-2009a

Citation:

Amsterdam: Elsevier-Academic Press. 2009

Source Title:

The Rhesus Monkey Brain, Second Edition

Name:

BNST

Language:

acronym

Organism:

human

Source:

Avery-2016

Citation:

Neuropsychopharmacology, 41:1:126-41

Source Title:

The Human BNST: Functional Role in Anxiety and Addiction

Name:

NST

Language:

acronym

Organism:

Unspecified

Source:

NeuroNames

Citation:

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Source Title:

NeuroNames

Name:

nuclei of stria terminalis

Language:

English

Organism:

Unspecified

Source:

NeuroNames

Citation:

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Source Title:

NeuroNames

Illustrations

Showing 4 illustration(s)

labeled line drawings of
sagittal section in
Macaca fascicularis

multiple views of
3D reconstruction in
Macaca mulatta

Nissl stain & diagram of
coronal section in
mouse

Nissl stain & diagram of
sagittal section in
mouse

Species With The Structure

Equivalent By	Human	Macaque	Rat	Mouse
Topology	Has The Structure	Has The Structure	Has The Structure	Relevant Data Not Located

1 of 8

Showing 8 record(s) - Use arrows to navigate

Showing 8 record(s)

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

bed nucleus of stria terminalis

Source:

Andy-1968

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

intercalate nucleus of stria terminalis

Source:

Crosby-1962

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

interstitial nucleus of stria terminalis

Source:

Mai-1997

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

Nucleus interstitialis striae terminalis

Source:

Mai-1997

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Homo sapiens (human)

Their Name:

nucleus of the stria terminalis

Source:

Carpenter-1983

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Macaca fascicularis (Macaca fascicularis)

Their Name:

nucleus of stria terminalis

Source:

Martin-1997

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Macaca fascicularis (Macaca fascicularis)

Their Name:

Nucleus striae terminalis

Source:

Shantha-1968

Basis:

Topology

Has Equivalent:

Yes

Organism:

Rattus (rat)

Their Name:

bed nucleus of stria terminalis

Source:

Bowden-1997

Models Where It Appears

Structural CNS Model - Macaque

Brain structures of the macaque are illustrated in BrainInfo’s NeuroMaps macaque brain atlas. Structures are grouped by proximity in a hierarchy corresponding to the central nervous system hierarchy of NeuroNames ( Bowden-1995 Martin-2000 ). Structures in the NeuroMaps atlas are based on the segmentation of an MRI of the brain of a 3-year old male rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). The atlas is most useful for targeting structures for implantating electrodes and chemtrodes. Updated 29 Oct 2025.