The contributions to the human dorsal column tracts from the spinal cord laminae.

The dorsal column tracts (fasciculus gracilis and fasciculus cuneatus) are concerned with discriminative qualities of sensation. There are controversial descriptions related to the relations of dorsal column tracts with the dorsal horn laminae in text-books. The present study aims to define the laminae of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord that contribute fibers to the dorsal column tracts in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal level. Series paraffin spinal cords sections of six formalin-embalmed adult human cadavers were evaluated. The present study shows that dorsal column tracts receive fiber contributions from laminae III and V and from Clarke's dorsal nucleus at varying spinal levels. At upper cervical levels (C1-C4) fiber contributions were from lamina V and few from lamina III, and at lower cervical levels (C5-C8) there were, in addition to these laminae, also contributions from the Clarke's dorsal nucleus. At upper thoracic levels (T1-T4) fiber contributions were from lamina V and few from Clarke's dorsal nucleus. At lower thoracic (T5-T12) and lumbar levels (L1-L5), in contrast, fiber contributions were only from Clarke's dorsal nucleus. The detailed knowledge of organization of the dorsal column tracts of the spinal cord may pave the way for future treatments of the spinal cord injuries.

Anatomy of the spinal dorsal root entry zone: its clinical significance.

BACKGROUND: The posterolateral sulcus (PLS) is an important surgical landmark, especially for DREZ (dorsal root entry zone) operations. METHODS: The present study aimed to show the variations of the PLS using human spinal cord histological sections and report the variability in the number of dorsal rootlets of the spinal nerves in each the spinal cord segment. Further, measure the height and width of the dorsal horn on histological sections for cervical, thoracic, and lumbar levels. RESULTS: The results of the present study showed various patterns of PLS 1.clearly present PLS, 2. short PLS, 3. absent PLS or 4. irregular PLS. Height and width measurements of the dorsal horn showed that the average width was greatest at lower cervical (0.48 ± 0.04 mm) and least at lower thoracic levels (0.41 ± 0.04 mm), whereas the average height was greatest at upper cervical (3.0 ± 0.06 mm) and smallest at lower lumbar levels (1.8 ± 0.08 mm). The average number of rootlets varied considerably, at cervical level it was 7.6 ± 1.4 mm, at thoracic 6.6 ± 0.8 mm and at lumbar 6.1 ± 0.4 mm. CONCLUSIONS: The detailed anatomy of the variations of the PLS and the average number of rootlets at each spinal level can increase the success of regional surgery. Further, fine measurements on histological sections can give detailed knowledge on the size necessary for lesioning in DREZ operations.

Comparing GABAergic cell populations in the thalamic reticular nucleus of normal and genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg (GAERS).

The GABAergic neurons of the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) play a critical role in the generation and control of spike-and-wave discharges (SWDs) in absence epilepsy. We have used the disector method to count the GABA+ve and GABA-ve neurons in the intermediate TRN sector of genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg (GAERS) and of Wistar rats during postnatal (P) development at P10, P20, P30, and P60 days. The same part of TRN was removed from each animal, the GABAergic neurons were labelled using light-microscopical GABA immunohistochemistry and the data were statistically analysed. Both the GAERS and Wistar animals showed an increase in the density of GABA+ve and GABA-ve cells from P10 to P20. From P20 to P60, Wistar animals showed no significant differences for either cell type, but in the GAERS a progressive decrease from P20 to P60 was observed in both GABA+ve and GABA-ve cells. The decrease of the GABA-ve cells was more pronounced than that of the GABA+ve cells. There were no significant differences between cell sizes for GAERS and Wistar rats at any developmental age. The lower density GABA+ve and GABA-ve neurons at P30 and P60 of GAERS compared to Wistar animals may contribute to the generation of SWDs in absence epilepsy.

The effects of regular swimming exercise and melatonin on the neurons localized in the striatum of hemiparkinsonian rats.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative movement disorder. We aimed to investigate the effects of regular swimming exercise and melatonin applied in the 6-Hydroxydopamine-induced Parkinson's disease rats by analysing dendritic spine of striatal neurons. Twenty-four male Wistar albino rats were used. 6-Hydroxydopamine unilaterally injected four (control, exercise, melatonin and exercise + melatonin) groups were included in the study. Tyrosine hydroxylase expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. Neurons and structures were identified from three-dimensional images by Neurolucida software. There was not any apparent difference for tyrosine hydroxylase positive neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and fibres in the striatum between the lesion sides of hemiparkinsonian groups. The treatment groups blocked the apomorphine-induced increase in rotations compared to the control group. In stepping test, the treatment groups prevented the loss of stepping in the contralateral side of hemiparkinsonian groups. The melatonin mostly had a positive effect on motor activity tests. In morphological analyses, the 6-Hydroxydopamine-induced lesion led to the reduction of the total dendritic length and number of branches. In the treatment groups, the reduction of the dendritic parameters was not observed. 6-Hydroxydopamine lesion led to a decrease in the total spine density, spine densities of thin and mushroom types. The exercise and melatonin treatments prevented the loss of spine density. The exercise treatment prevented the loss of spine density of mushroom type spines. The melatonin treatment blocked the loss of spine density of stubby type. In conclusion, these results provide evidence for effective additional protective therapeutic strategies for Parkinson's disease. In conclusion, results from the current study provide evidence for swimming exercise and melatonin as a promising candidate for effective additional protective strategies for PD.

Differences in Neurodegeneration Between Kainic Acid-Injected GAERS and Wistar Rats.

AIM: To compare neurodegenerative changes using the Fluoro-Jade B staining, following status epilepticus induced by intraamygdaloid injection of kainic acid in Genetic Absence Epilepsy Rats from Strasbourg (GAERS) and non-epileptic control Wistar rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A single unilateral intra-amygdaloid kainic acid (750 ng) was administered in adult male GAERS and Wistar rats to induce status epilepticus. We recorded electroencephalogram (EEG) and behavioral changes throughout the experiments. After 1 week of the kainic acid injection, rats were sacrificed, and the brains were removed. We obtained 20λm sections and processed them for Fluoro-Jade B and Nissl staining, which were evaluated semi-quantitatively. RESULTS: Following kainic acid injections, status epilepticus developed in all rats. In GAERS rats, motor seizures were considerably delayed, with no statistically significant difference in the number of seizures. However, statistically significant differences were observed in the Fluoro-Jade B staining in GAERS rats between contralateral and ipsilateral sides of the CA3, CA1, somatosensory cortex, entorhinal cortex, piriform cortex, reticular nucleus, putamen, and claustrum. In Wistar rats, the CA3, CA1, somatosensory cortex, entorhinal cortex, piriform cortex, reticular nucleus, amygdala, and laterodorsal nucleus exhibited significant differences. Comparing GAERS and Wistar rats, a statistically significant difference was observed for both sides of CA1. In both groups, the staining was prominent ipsilaterally, except for the claustrum in GAERS rats. However, the motor cortex remained unaffected in both groups. Neurodegenerative changes were not associated with the severity of seizures in both groups following the intra-amygdaloid kainic acid administration. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that CA1 is the only region exhibiting a statistically significant difference between Wistar and GAERS rats.

Comparison of cerebral ventricular volumes and cortical thicknesses in normal rats and Genetic Absence Epilepsy (GAERS): A developmental study.

Ventricular enlargement and cortical atrophy have been associated with various central nervous system diseases. The aim of the present study was to measure the volumes of the lateral (LV) and third (3V) ventricles and to determine the cortical thickness for the motor (MCx), somatosensory (SSCx), visual (VCx) and auditory (AuCx) cortex and the striatum of Wistar rats, in a developmental series at 10, 20, 30, and 60 days postnatal, and to compare them with similar data from genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg (GAERS). Serial sections were taken from the brains of Wistar and GAERS animals and were Nissl stained. Photographs were taken from specific sections of the brain for measurements of ventricular volume, cortical and striatal thickness. The image-j computer program was used for the volume and thickness measurements. The data was statistically analyzed by 3-way ANOVA using SPSS 15. Comparison of the measurements of GAERS and Wistar animals showed no statistically significant differences at any of the developmental stages regarding the ventricular (LV and 3V) volumes. However, at P60 and P30 of the MCx, P30 of the SSCx, P20 of the VCx and AuCx showed a significantly thinner cortical thickness in the GAERS than in the Wistar animals. The striatal measurements showed significant decrease in thickness of the striatum at P30 and P60. Further, brain size measurements (between the two temporal poles) showed significant decrease in the size at P30 and P60 of GAERS animals. The presence of thinner cortical and striatal thicknesses and smaller brain size in GAERS animals may suggests that these changes could be involved in the mechanism of epileptogenicity or be a result of the epileptogenicity.

A developmental study of glutamatergic neuron populations in the ventrobasal and the lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus: Comparing Genetic Absence Rats from Strasbourg (GAERS) and normal control wistar rats.

An imbalance of GABAergic inhibition and glutamatergic excitation is suspected to be the cause of absence epileptic seizures. Absence seizures are known to be generated in thalamocortical circuitry. In the present study we used light microscopy immunohistochemistry to quantify the density of glutamate+ve neurons at two developmental stages (P10 and P60) in two thalamic nuclei, the ventrobasal (VB) and lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) in Wistar rats and compared the results with similar data obtained from genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg (GAERS). Rats were perfused transcardially with glutaraldehyde and paraformaldehyde fixative, then samples from VB and LGN were removed from each animal and sectioned. The glutamatergic neurons were labelled using light-microscopic glutamate immunohistochemistry. The disector method was used to quantify the glutamate+ve neurons in VB and LGN of GAERS and Wistar rats. The data were statistically analyzed. The distribution of the glutamate+ve neurons in the VB thalamic nucleus showed a significant reduction in the neuronal profiles per unit thalamic area from P10 to P60 in both Wistar and GAERS. The decrease was greater in the GAERS compared to the Wistar animals. However, in the LGN no reduction was observed either in the Wistar or in the GAERS. Comparing the density of glutamate+ve neurons in the VB thalamic nucleus of P10 of Wistar animals with of P10 GAERS showed statistically significant greater densities of these neurons in GAERS than in the Wistar rats. However no significant difference was present at P60 between the Wistar and GAERS animals. The disproportional decrease in GAERS may be related to the onset of absence seizures or may be related to neurogenesis of absence epilepsy.

Comparing glutamatergic neuron population in the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus of genetic absence epilepsy rats from strasbourg (GAERS) and normal control Wistar rats.

An imbalance between GABAergic inhibition and glutamatergic excitation is suspected to play a role in the genesis of epileptic processes. In the present study we quantified the number of glutamate+ve neurons in the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus (MD) of genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg (GAERS) and compared these with values for normal Wistar rats. The MD thalamic nucleus was removed from each animal and the glutamatergic neurons were labelled using light-microscopy glutamate immunohistochemistry. The disector method was used to quantify the glutamate+ve neurons in the MD thalamic nucleus of GAERS and Wistar rats. The data were statistically analyzed. In the Wistar animals glutamate+ve neurons formed 89% and in GAERS 92.3% of the total neurons in 1000µm3 of MD thalamic nucleus. In GAERS glutamate+ve neurons showed statistically significant increase in the MD thalamic nucleus compared to Wistar animals. In Wistar animals the glutamate-ve neurons formed 11% and in GAERS 7.7% of the total neurons in 1000µm3 of MD thalamic. No significant difference was observed in glutamate-ve neurons between the two strains. The average diameter of glutamate+ve neurons showed no significance, while glutamate-ve neurons were significant between the two strains. The results of the present study, on genetic absence epilepsy model, GAERS, confirms the role of MD thalamic nucleus in chemically induced absence epilepsy.

Expression of NADPH-d in the vagal nuclei of the chronic esophagitis model in rats.

AIM: To evaluate the changes in the number of NADPH diaphorase (NADPH-d) stained neurons in the vagal nuclei in a chronic esophagitis model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: There were 3 groups of rats examined: 1) a chronic gastroesophageal reflux rat group, which was created by a partial gastric outlet obstruction; 2) a sham group; and 3) a ranitidine treated group. Serial sections ofbrainstems of all groups were cut and NADPH-d staining, which selectively stains the nitric acid synthase-containing neurons, was done. RESULTS: Histopathological changes due to chronic reflux esophagitis was observed in the reflux group. The ranitidine treatment and sham control groups showed no changes related to esophagitis. The staining in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus and nucleus tractus solitarius showed statistically significant differences compared to the control group (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The increased nitric oxide expressions in the dorsal vagal nucleus and nucleus tractus solitarius are most probably due to adaptive changes to disturbed esophageal motility and mucosal damage.

A variation of the cords of the brachial plexus on the right and a communication between the musculocutaneous and median nerves on the left upper limb: a unique case.

During routine anatomical dissection of the upper extremity of a 64-year-old cadaver for educational purposes, we observed variations in the brachial plexus on each side. On the right an anomaly of cord formation was present and on the left there was a communication between the musculocutaneous nerve (MCN) and median nerve (MN). On the right side the brachial plexus showed two trunks, superior (C5 and C6) and inferior (C7, C8, and T1); the middle trunk was absent. The superior trunk bifurcated into anterior and posterior divisions, the anterior division continued as the lateral cord forming the MCN. The posterior division gave off the subscapular branch. The inferior trunk trifurcated into radial, median, and ulnar nerves. The radial nerve gave off the axillary and thoracodorsal nerves. The ulnar nerve gave off the median cutaneous nerves of the arm and forearm. The median nerve received a small ascending branch from the MCN. On the right side, there was a communicating branch from the MCN to the MN in the lower third of the arm region. This communicating branch also gave rise to a muscular branch to the brachialis muscle and the lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm. No additional heads of the biceps brachii muscle were observed in either upper limb. Knowledge of the variations of the brachial plexus in humans can be valuable for operations of the shoulder joint and its repair for providing an effective block or treatment for anesthetists and also for explaining otherwise incomprehensible clinical signs for neurologists.