A quantitative histological study of the anterodorsal thalamic nucleus and the lateral mammillary nucleus of ageing mice.
The number of neurons and neuroglia in the anterodorsal nucleus of the thalamus and in the lateral mammillary nucleus of the ASH/TO strain mouse was estimated at 6, 25, 28 and 31 months of age. There was no significant variation in neuron number in either nucleus with age but there was a statistically significant increase (approximately 20%) in the number of neuroglia in the anterodorsal nucleus between 28 and 31 months of age which raised the glia to neuron ratio from 0.59 to 0.72. There was no change in neuroglial number in the ageing lateral mammillary nucleus. Neurons in both nuclei lost Nissl substance. This was first evident at 28 months in the anterodorsal nucleus and at 31 months in the lateral mammillary nucleus. Lipofuscin accumulation was common in the perikarya of anterodorsal nuclear neurons from 25 months onwards but was very rare in neurons of the lateral mammillary nucleus even at 31 months.
Sturrock
R R
RR
Department of Anatomy, University of Dundee, Scotland.
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D008297:Male; D008326:Mammillary Bodies / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development; D051379:Mice; D013787:Thalamic Nuclei / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development