title: Neurons of human nucleus accumbens.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nucleus accumbens is a part of the ventral striatum also known as a drug active brain region, especially related with drug addiction. The aim of the study was to investigate the Golgi morphology of the nucleus accumbens neurons.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed on the frontal and sagittal sections of 15 human brains by the Golgi Kopsch method. We classified neurons in the human nucleus accumbens according to their morphology and size into four types: type I--fusiform neurons; type II--fusiform neurons with lateral dendrite, arising from a part of the cell body; type III--pyramidal-like neuron; type IV--multipolar neuron. The medium spiny neurons, which are mostly noted regarding to the drug addictive conditions of the brain, correspond to the type IV--multipolar neurons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two regions of human nucleus accumbens could be clearly recognized on Nissl and Golgi preparations each containing different predominant neuronal types. Central part of nucleus accumbens, core region, has a low density of impregnated neurons with predominant type III, pyramidal-like neurons, with spines on secondary branches and rare type IV, multipolar neurons. Contrary to the core, peripheral region, shell of nucleus, has a high density of impregnated neurons predominantly contained of type I and type IV--multipolar neurons, which all are rich in spines on secondary and tertiary dendritic branches.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate great morphological variability of human nucleus accumbens neurons. This requires further investigations and clarifying clinical significance of this important brain region.
authors: University of Kragujevac Medical School, Department of Histology, Kragujevac, Serbia. majasazdanovic@yahoo.com
authors: Maja
authors: M
authors: Sazdanović
authors: Predrag
authors: P
authors: Sazdanović
authors: Ivana
authors: I
authors: Zivanović-Macuzić
authors: Vladimir
authors: V
authors: Jakovljević
authors: Dejan
authors: D
authors: Jeremić
authors: Amir
authors: A
authors: Peljto
authors: Jovo
authors: J
authors: Tosevski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013194:Staining and Labeling