Kamata T
Department of Otolaryngology, Kitasato University, Sagamihara.
Nihon Jibiinkoka Gakkai Kaiho. 1992 Jun;95(6):825-43.
The lingual tonsils, in company with the pharyngeal and palatine tonsils, constitute Waldyer's tonsillar ring and function as an immunological organ. However, fewer reports have been published on the lingual tonsil than on the other tonsils. It can hardly be said that changes is the lingual tonsil related to age have been studied in detail. The author reported a qualitative study on both gross and histological findings of the lingual tonsil, focusing on its changes with aging, in 204 autopsied cases (124 males and 60 females). The results of the qualitative observations obtained were as follows: 1. The lingual tonsils were classified into three shapes based on gross findings; flat, prominent and hypertrophic. Most of the hypertrophic tonsils were seen in the group in the 2nd decade and in those aged between the 4th and 6th decade of life. 2. Lymphatic tissues were classified into three types; isolated diffuse, adhesive converged and independent converged types. It was presumed that reconstruction of the lymphatic tissue should occur independently of proliferation of the connective tissue since the lymphatic tissues of the three were not related to aging. 3. Hyperplasia of the connective tissue, which separated the lymphatic tissues, started in the 2nd decade and rapidly increased after the 6th decade. Hyperplasia of the elastic fiber in the capsula also started in the 2nd decade and increased with aging. The results of quantitative observation were as follows: 1. Total area of the lingual tonsil and lymphatic tissues in each slice of the specimen showed two peaks in size in the 2nd and 5th decades. 2. Total sum of the lymphfolliculus had changed with aging in the same manner as mentioned above in "1". The ratios of the lymphfolliculus to the parenchymal tissue and to the lymphepithelial symbiosis had also altered with aging. However, the number of lymphfolliculi per unit was almost constant. A significant difference between the sexes was detected below the 4th decade, when hormonal sexual difference were manifest. 3. Total sum of the area of the crypt increased from the 4th decade onward. From these findings, it is concluded that the lingual tonsil transiently responds to aging from the first to the 2nd decade, when the pharyngeal and palatine tonsils have dominant functions, and becomes active from the 4th to 5th decades, followed by a decrease in function after the 6th decade though its activity persists in elderly individuals.
舌扁桃体与咽扁桃体和腭扁桃体共同构成瓦尔代尔扁桃体环，作为一个免疫器官发挥作用。然而，关于舌扁桃体的报道比其他扁桃体要少。很难说已经对舌扁桃体与年龄相关的变化进行了详细研究。作者在204例尸检病例（124例男性和60例女性）中报告了一项关于舌扁桃体大体和组织学发现的定性研究，重点关注其随年龄的变化。获得的定性观察结果如下：1. 根据大体发现，舌扁桃体分为三种形状：扁平型、突出型和肥大型。大多数肥大的扁桃体见于第二个十年的人群以及年龄在第四个和第六个十年之间的人群。2. 淋巴组织分为三种类型：孤立弥漫型、粘连汇聚型和独立汇聚型。由于这三种淋巴组织与衰老无关，推测淋巴组织的重建应独立于结缔组织的增殖而发生。3. 分隔淋巴组织的结缔组织增生始于第二个十年，并在第六个十年后迅速增加。包膜中弹性纤维的增生也始于第二个十年，并随年龄增长而增加。定量观察结果如下：1. 标本每片中舌扁桃体和淋巴组织的总面积在第二个和第五个十年出现两个大小峰值。2. 淋巴滤泡的总数随年龄变化的方式与上述“1”中所述相同。淋巴滤泡与实质组织以及淋巴上皮共生的比例也随年龄而改变。然而，每单位的淋巴滤泡数量几乎恒定。在第四个十年以下，当出现激素性别的差异时，检测到两性之间存在显著差异。3. 隐窝面积的总和从第四个十年开始增加。从这些发现可以得出结论，舌扁桃体在第一个到第二个十年对衰老有短暂反应，此时咽扁桃体和腭扁桃体发挥主导作用，在第四个到第五个十年变得活跃，随后在第六个十年后功能下降，尽管其活动在老年人中持续存在。
