Neuron numbers in hypothalamic nuclei of young, middle-aged and aged male rats.
Morphologic analysis of nine hypothalamic areas revealed significant decreases in the number of neurons per unit area in the ventral medial and arcuate nuclei. These data suggest that altered neuron numbers in the VMW and perhaps the ARC may participate in the well documented reductions in endocrine and neuroendocrine function observed in aging rats.
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001111:Arcuate Nucleus of Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology; D002452:Cell Count; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014697:Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000166:cytology