Immunohistochemical investigation of nerve fiber presence and morphology in elderly cervical spine meniscoids.
Innervation of anatomical structures is fundamental to their capacity to generate nociceptive impulses. Cervical spine meniscoids are hypothesized to be contributors to neck pain; however, their innervation is not comprehensively understood.



This study aimed to examine the presence and morphology of nerve fibers within cervical spine meniscoids and adjacent joint capsules.



This is a cross-sectional study.



The sample consists of cervical hemispines of 12 embalmed cadavers (mean [standard deviation] age 82.9 [6.5] years, six female, six left). Either the right or the left half of the cervical spine (hemispine) of each cadaver was included in the sample. So six left sides and six right sides of the cadaver cervical spines made up the 12 hemispines that formed the sample.



Cervical spine meniscoids and adjacent joint capsules were excised from lateral atlantoaxial and cervical zygapophyseal (C2-C3 to C6-C7) joints (n=67), then paraffin embedded. Meniscoids were sectioned sagittally (5 µm), slide mounted, and immunohistochemistry was performed using primary antibodies to neurofilament heavy (NF-H) and pan-neurofilament (Pan-NF) to identify nerve tissue. The study was supported by institutional graduate student funding. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.



Seventy-seven meniscoids (23 lateral atlantoaxial, 54 cervical zygapophyseal) were extracted and processed (154 sections in total). Sixty-four individual nerve fiber bundles were identified (26 NF-H positive, 38 Pan-NF positive) from 14 meniscoids. Nerves immunoreactive to both NF-H and Pan-NF were identified in 13 of 77 meniscoids (10 of 14 lateral atlantoaxial joint) from 11 joints (eight cadavers). Nerves were always located in joint capsules except three exclusively Pan-NF immunoreactive nerve fiber bundles from two adipose meniscoids.



The low nerve prevalence in elderly cervical spine meniscoids, with nerves only found in two adipose type meniscoids, suggests these structures may play a minimal role in cervical nociception generation in this demographic. The joint capsules, which were more frequently innervated, appear to be more likely generators of nociception in the elderly. Joint capsule nerves were mostly NF-H positive, indicating potential Aδ-fiber presence.
Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callghan 2308, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: s.farrell@griffith.edu.au.
Scott F
SF
Farrell
Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callghan 2308, NSW, Australia.
Peter G
PG
Osmotherly
CS 705 Level 7, Wellington Hospital Clinical Services Block, Graduate School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6021, New Zealand; Department of Physiology, University of Otago, 270 Great King St, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand; Centre for Health Sciences, Zurich University of Applied Science, Technikumstrasse 71, 8401 Winterthur, Zurich, Switzerland.
Jon
J
Cornwall
Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callghan 2308, NSW, Australia.
Darren A
DA
Rivett
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000294:innervation; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000294:innervation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism*; D021801:Zygapophyseal Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000294:innervation
Anatomy; Atlantoaxial joint; Cervical meniscoid; Cervical spine; Immunohistochemistry; Neck pain; Nerve; Nociception; Synovial fold; Zygapophyseal joint