Morphometric evaluation of the aging process in various human nerve fibers.
We carried out a morphometric comparison of tissue sections from the human spinal cord, medulla oblongata, cranial nerves, autonomic nerves and spinal nerves with the help of a very accurate method that includes two-step fixation, nitrocellulose embedding and discriminative staining. We conducted morphometric evaluations to compare various axonal areas between different individuals using a combination of an image analyzer and a high power microscope. Our study showed a negative correlation between age and axonal area in all nerves except the greater splanchnic nerve. We believe that such data would not have been discovered without the use of our sophisticated electronic equipment together with the special preparation method we employed. Recourse to such methodology will allow more precise study of neurohistology and lead to better understanding of the aging process in human beings.
Nonaka
Naoko
N
Department of Oral Anatomy, Showa University School of Dentistry, 5-8, Hatanodai 1, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan. choku@dent.showa-u.ac.jp
Goto
Noboru
N
Goto
Jun
J
Shibata
Masakazu
M
Nakamura
Masanori
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D001284:Atrophy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019044:Image Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology; D009420:Nervous System / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013153:Splanchnic Nerves / Q000473:pathology; D014855:Wallerian Degeneration / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology