Aging and long-term ovariectomy alter the cytoarchitecture of the hypothalamic-preoptic area of the C57BL/6J mouse.
Long-term ovariectomy attenuates several neuroendocrine-dependent changes in reproductive function of aging female rodents, but the sites affected and underlying mechanisms are not known. This study was designed to identify effects of aging on hypothalamic-preoptic neurocytoarchitecture and to determine whether long-term ovariectomy attenuated any of those changes. Coronal sections from midportions of the preoptic area (POA), suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and arcuate nucleus (ARC) were examined by quantitative light microscopy in young (5 month) and old (18-20 months) intact mice and in old mice which had been ovariectomized at 6 months of age. Neuronal density in old intact mice decreased in both ARC and POA (30%; p less than 0.05), but no significant decrease occurred in SCN. Total perikaryal area decreased only in ARC (10%; p less than 0.05), while area of perikaryal nuclei did not change in any region. Area of nucleoli increased (13%; p less than 0.005) in all three regions of old intact and old ovariectomized mice. Neither density nor size of glia changed with age. Density of blood vessels increased strikingly in ARC (150%; p less than 0.05), and in POA (30%; p less than 0.05), but not significantly in SCN of old mice. Long-term ovariectomy did not prevent any of these changes; indeed, it promoted the decline of neuronal density in SCN (40%; p less than 0.05) and neuronal area (15%; p less than 0.05) in POA. Reductions in neuronal density were not explained by expansion of the SCN or peri-ARC or peri-POA regions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Miller
M M
MM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Gould
B E
BE
Nelson
J F
JF
D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D010052:Ovariectomy; D013997:Time Factors