Developmental and lesion induced cell death in the rat ventrobasal complex

Neuroreport. 1992 Jun;3(6):485-8. doi: 10.1097/00001756-199206000-00007.

Abstract

Naturally occurring and lesion induced neuronal death have been studied in the developing rat thalamus. Natural cell death was present from embryonic day (E)19 until postnatal day (P)8 with a peak occurring at birth. Counts of total neurones indicated a postnatal loss of 27%. Unilateral section of the infraorbital nerve at birth was associated with increased cell death in the contralateral thalamus; this was maximal at P2 and continued until P10. Counts of neurone numbers showed a reduction of about 24% of neurones on the contralateral side. A smaller, more transient decrease was seen ipsilaterally. The lesion induced cell loss was associated with a decrease in volume of the ventrobasal complex, with minimal reduction in cell density.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aging
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Cell Death*
  • Maxillary Nerve / physiology*
  • Prosencephalon / cytology
  • Prosencephalon / growth & development*
  • Prosencephalon / pathology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Reference Values
  • Thalamus / cytology
  • Thalamus / growth & development*
  • Thalamus / pathology
  • Vibrissae / innervation
  • Vibrissae / physiology