Nerve cell loss in the thalamic centromedian-parafascicular complex in patients with Huntington’s disease |
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Authors: | H Heinsen U Rüb D Gangnus G Jungkunz M Bauer G Ulmar B Bethke M Schüler F Böcker W Eisenmenger M Götz M Strik |
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Institution: | 1. Morphologische Hirnforschung, Universitats-Nervenklinik, Fuchsleinstrasse 15, D-97080, Würzburg, Germany 2. Nervenkrankenhaus des Bezirks Unterfranken, D-97816, Lohr, Germany 3. Psychiatrisches Landeskrankenhaus Wiesloch, Postfach 1420, D-69155, Wiesloch, Germany 4. Klinikum Bayreuth, Institut für Pathologie, Preuschwitzer Strasse 101, D-95445, Bayreuth, Germany 5. Nervenkrankenhaus des Bezirks Oberfranken, Cottenbacher Strasse 23, D-95445, Bayreuth, Germany 6. Institut fur Rechtsmedizin der Universitat, Frauenlobstrasse 7 a, D-80337, München, Germany 7. Klinikum Aschaffenburg, Institut für Pathologie, Am Hasenkopf, D-63739, Aschaffenburg, Germany 8. Pathologisches Institut, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, D-97080, Wurzburg, Germany
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Abstract: | The centromedian-parafascicular complex represents a nodal point in the neuronal loop comprising striatum – globulus pallidus
– thalamus – striatum. Striatal neurone degeneration is a hallmark in Huntington's disease and we were interested in estimating
total neurone and glial number in this thalamic nuclear complex. Serial 500-μm-thick gallocyanin-stained frontal sections
of the left hemisphere from six cases of Huntington's disease patients (three females, three males) and six age- and sex-matched
controls were investigated applying Cavalieri's principle and the optical disector. Mean neurone number in the controls was
646,952 ± 129,668 cells versus 291,763 ± 60,122 in Huntington's disease patients (Mann-Whitney U-test, P < 0.001). Total glial cell number (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia, and unclassifiable glial profiles) was higher
in controls with 9,544,191 ± 3,028,944 versus 6,961,989 ± 2,241,543 in Huntington's disease patients (Mann-Whitney U-test,
P < 0.021). Considerable increase of fibrous astroglia within the centromedian-parafascicular complex could be observed after
Gallyas' impregnation. Most probably this cell type enhanced the numerical ratio between glial number and neurone number (glial
index: Huntington's disease patients = 24.4 ± 8.1; controls = 15.0 ± 5.2; Mann-Whitney U-test, P < 0.013). The neurone number in the centromedian-parafascicular complex correlated negatively, although statistically not
significantly, with the striatal neurone number. This lack of correlation between an 80% neuronal loss in the striatum and
a 55% neurone loss in the centromedian-parafascicular complex points to viable neuronal circuits connecting the centromedian-parafascicular
complex with cortical and subcortical regions that are less affected in Huntington's disease.
Received: 13 April 1995 / Revised: 26 June 1995 / Revised, accepted: 30 August 1995 |
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Keywords: | Huntington's disease Human brain Thalamus Nuclei centromedianus-parafascicularis Neurone number |
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