title: Analysis of diabetes-related cerebellar changes in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Diabetic peripheral neuropathy has been extensively studied and reported, but the number of studies that have investigated diabetes-related changes in the central nervous system are limited, with even fewer studies on the cerebellum. The aim of this experimental study was to perform a histologic analysis of the diabetes-related changes in the cerebellums of diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty Sprague Dawley rats weighing between 200 and 220 g were included in the study. Diabetes was induced in 14 of these rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of 65 mg/kg streptozotocin dissolved in saline, while 6 animals constituted the control group. The induction of diabetes was confirmed by measuring the blood glucose levels in the tail blood with a glucometer. Levels equal to or above 200 mg/dL were considered diabetic. Induction of diabetes failed in 3 animals, who were then excluded from the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Light and electron microscopic studies revealed that the neurons and glial cells in the diabetic group had degenerative changes, irregularities and disruption in the myelin sheath, disintegration in the presynaptic vesicles, engorged axon terminals, perivascular and mitochondrial swelling, mitochondrial structural changes, and fragmentation of the neurofilaments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrastructural alterations are observed in the diabetic rat cerebellum.
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Clinic, İstanbul Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nuriye Güzin
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Özdemİr
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Clinic, İstanbul Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Feray
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Akbaş
authors.affiliation: Histology and Embryology Department, İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tuğba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kotil
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Clinic, Şişli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Adem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yılmaz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002531:Cerebellum; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; D009186:Myelin Sheath; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013311:Streptozocin
chemical_list: D013311:Streptozocin
keywords: Cerebellum; diabetes; streptozotocin; ultrastructural analysis