Neurons showing intense urocortin-like immunoreactivity (Ucn-IR) were found immunohistochemically in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA), as well as in Edinger-Westphal nucleus (E-W), in the rat brain. Almost all Ucn-immunoreactive neuronal cell bodies in the SNc and VTA showed immunoreactivity for tyrosine hydroxylase. Injection of a retrograde tracer, colloidal gold-labeled WGAapoHRP, into the cervical spinal cord resulted in labeling of some E-W neurons with Ucn-IR. These findings suggest that Ucn is located in the cell bodies of dopaminergic neurons, as well as in the cell bodies of E-W neurons sending axons to the spinal cord.