Distribution of intracytoplasmic acidophilic granules in the magnocellular nuclei of the basal forebrain in normal individuals and patients suffering from Parkinson's disease.
Using a technique which stains both acidophilic granules and lipofuscin deposits, the distribution pattern of neurons containing intracytoplasmic acidophilic granules was studied in the magnocellular nuclei of the basal forebrain in the normal adult. Additionally, a classification of the acidophilic granule-bearing neurons was carried out. Within the medial septal nucleus and the vertical limb nucleus of the diagonal band less than 10% of the multipolar neurons display acidophilic granules. Proceeding posteriorly, the number of granule-containing neurons increased up to 36% in the horizontal limb nucleus of the diagonal band and in the anteromedial subnucleus of the basal nucleus, and up to 56% in the posterolateral subnucleus of the basal nucleus. In parkinsonian cases the frequency of acidophilic granule-bearing neurons was significantly reduced in the posterolateral subnucleus of the basal nucleus. At the ultrastructural level, the acidophilic granules consist of a homogenous material and were occasionally located within mitochondria. Their substructural aspects as well as their intracytoplasmic distribution correspond to those displayed by the granules found in the lower brain stem.
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Zentrum der Morphologie, J. W. Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt, Germany.
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000679:Amygdala / Q000473:pathology; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000473:pathology*; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003704:Dementia / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008032:Limbic System / Q000473:pathology*; D008062:Lipofuscin / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009474:Neurons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000473:pathology
D008062:Lipofuscin