The effect of aluminium on neuronal lipofuscin

Adult white rats were injected over a period of 33 days with aluminium hydrochloride, while a control group, matched for age, sex and weight, received water injections only. At the end of that period, it was found that the group of rats which had received aluminium had lost weight. The animals were killed and an attempt was made to measure the amount of lipofuscin in hypoglossal neurones using fluorescence microscopy. The aluminium treated group did not have a greater level of autofluorescence, indicative of no increase in lipofuscin level in this group. However, a problem of method is described which might have led to the lack of a positive result.