Calzá L, Giardino L, Velardo A, Battistini N, Marrama P
Institute of Human Physiology, Medical School, Cagliari, Italy.
J Chem Neuroanat. 1990 May-Jun;3(3):215-31.
The paraventricular nucleus (PVH) of the hypothalamus is a key region for the integration of the autonomic and neuroendocrine mechanisms. This integration becomes less reliable with age. Some critical functions, such as eating and drinking, body-temperature regulation, autonomic and endocrine responses which regulate the cardiovascular system seem to be particularly affected by the aging-related processes. In this paper, we analysed by means of immunocytochemistry the neurochemical organization of the magnocellular and parvocellular component of the PVH in old male rats. The main results concerning the neurohormones and the carrier proteins are the following: a significant decrease in the number of the oxytocin- (OXY) like immunoreactive neurons of the medial and lateral parvocellular nuclei; a decrease in the vasopressin- (VAS) like immunoreactive neurons of the medial and lateral parvocellular nuclei and also of the medial magnocellular nucleus; a decrease in the neurophysin- (NRP) like immunoreactive neurons of the lateral parvocellular nucleus. We also found a decrease in the mean area of magnocellular OXY- and VAS-like immunoreactive neurons, a decrease in the extension of the dendritic tree sampled in the medial part of the nucleus; a decrease in the number of varicosities along the neurons coming from the PVH, and in the density of axons in the median eminence and in the vagal complex. The NRP-like immunoreactive structures in the substantia gelatinosa of the spinal cord of old rats were also decreased in respect to younger adult animals. Among the neuropeptides investigated (corticotropin-releasing factor, leu-enkephalin, somatostatin, cholecystokinin and neurotensin) we found a decrease in the leu-enkephalin-like immunoreactive neurons of the dorsal and medial parvocellular nuclei. Our data support--from a morphological point of view--the existence of involution processes in the neurochemical organization of the PVH during aging.
下丘脑室旁核（PVH）是自主神经和神经内分泌机制整合的关键区域。随着年龄增长，这种整合变得不那么可靠。一些关键功能，如饮食、体温调节、调节心血管系统的自主神经和内分泌反应，似乎特别受衰老相关过程的影响。在本文中，我们通过免疫细胞化学方法分析了老年雄性大鼠PVH大细胞和小细胞成分的神经化学组织。关于神经激素和载体蛋白的主要结果如下：内侧和外侧小细胞核中催产素（OXY）样免疫反应性神经元数量显著减少；内侧和外侧小细胞核以及内侧大细胞核中加压素（VAS）样免疫反应性神经元数量减少；外侧小细胞核中神经垂体素（NRP）样免疫反应性神经元数量减少。我们还发现大细胞OXY和VAS样免疫反应性神经元的平均面积减小，核内侧部分采样的树突分支延伸减小；来自PVH的神经元上曲张体数量减少，以及正中隆起和迷走神经复合体中轴突密度降低。与年轻成年动物相比，老年大鼠脊髓胶状质中NRP样免疫反应性结构也减少。在所研究的神经肽（促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子、亮氨酸脑啡肽、生长抑素、胆囊收缩素和神经降压素）中，我们发现背侧和内侧小细胞核中亮氨酸脑啡肽样免疫反应性神经元减少。从形态学角度来看，我们的数据支持衰老过程中PVH神经化学组织存在退化过程。
