Total neuron numbers in CA1-4 sectors of the dog hippocampus.
OBJECTIVE
Early reports addressed morphological asymmetry in the cross-sectional width of the rat hippocampus. The present study was aimed at counting total number of neurons in CA1-4 sectors and the subiculum of the dog hippocampus as well as investigating possible left /right and male/female asymmetry.


METHODS
Adult mongrel dogs (8 female and 5 male) were assessed by the right and left pawedness and sacrificed by exsanguinations. In each hippocampus dissected, the total neuron numbers of CAs and subiculum were estimated by the physical fractioning method.


RESULTS
Significant hemispheric asymmetries were found in the number of pyramidal cells of CA1, CA3/2, CA4 and the subiculum. Sex difference was also found in the subiculum, in favour of the males.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study indicated a left dominant asymmetry in males and right dominancy in females as well as no functional asymmetry in specific regions of the dog hippocampus. Further investigations are necessary to verify the hypothesis that hippocampal morphological asymmetries in normal subjects are functionally related in memory or in cognitive skills.
Rağbetli
Murat Cetin
MC
Departments of Histology & Embryology , Medical Faculty, Yüzüncü Yil University,Van, Turkey.
Aydinlioğlu
Atif
A
Koyun
Necat
N
Yayici
Recep
R
Arslan
Kadir
K
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D002452:Cell Count; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D012727:Sex Characteristics