title: Myelin Sheath Injury in Kaolin-Induced Hydrocephalus: A Light and Electron Microscopy Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In hydrocephalus, the impairment of cognitive and motor functions is thought to be partly due to injury to the myelin sheath of axons in the central nervous system. The exact nature of this injury is not completely understood.
  
  
  METHODS
  We induced hydrocephalus in 3-week-old rats with an intracisternal injection of kaolin suspension (0.04 ml of 200 mg/ml) and examined paraffin and ultrathin sections of the subcortical white matter from coronal slices of the cerebrum obtained at the level of the optic chiasm after sacrifice at weekly intervals for 4 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over time, there was a progression of injury to the myelin sheath consisting of attenuation, lamella separation and accumulation of myelin debris, focal degeneration, and the appearance of casts and loops.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that myelin injury in kaolin-induced hydrocephalus progresses with the duration and severity of ventriculomegaly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olugbenga A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Ayannuga
authors.forename: M Temitayo
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Shokunbi
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Naicker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000139:chemically induced*; D007616:Kaolin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008853:Microscopy; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D007616:Kaolin