Effect of aging on NADPH-diaphorase neurons in laterodorsal tegmental nucleus and striatum of mice.
Age-related changes of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d)-containing neurons were examined quantitatively in the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (TLD) and the caudate-putamen of mice. Six 2-month-old and six 25- to 30-month-old DDD mice were studied using computer-assisted image analysis. Although no age-related changes in neuronal counts were found in the TLD, the cell size in this nucleus showed a statistically significant reduction with aging. In addition, the degree of the age-related neuronal shrinkage differed within the TLD; the most significant occurring in the rostral, less in the caudal third and no significant alteration being found in the middle third portion of TLD. In contrast, NADPH-d-positive neurons in the striatum did not show distinct age-related changes. NADPH-d-containing neurons in the TLD correspond to cholinergic cells, which project to the forebrain. Thus, the age-related shrinkage of NADPH-d neurons in the TLD may be related to the cholinergic dysfunctions seen in the forebrain of senescent mice.
Kawamata
T
T
Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
Nakamura
S
S
Akiguchi
I
I
Kimura
J
J
Kameyama
M
M
Kimura
H
H
Takeda
T
T
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009247:NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D011149:Pons / Q000201:enzymology*
D009247:NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase