Keithley E M, Ryan A F, Woolf N K
Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego.
Hear Res. 1989 Mar;38(1-2):125-33. doi: 10.1016/0378-5955(89)90134-2.
The Mongolian gerbil, like other mammalian species, has a decreased number of spiral ganglion cells as a function of age. This loss of cells was first seen in 24- to 30-month old animals in the basal end of the ganglion. In the oldest individuals the apical end of the ganglion was also affected. There were approximately 15-25% fewer cells in the affected areas in the 36- to 42-month old animals. In the oldest animals degeneration of the stria vascularis was seen in the apical turn and some degenerative changes in the organ of Corti were seen throughout the length of the cochlear duct. The aging pattern in the gerbil cochlea, is similar to that described for other species. Vacuoles, previously described in the gerbil cochlear nucleus, were also seen in the auditory nerve within the modiolus, but central to the Schwann-glial border in all animals. Vacuoles were not present within the spiral ganglion or the peripheral processes of the ganglion cells. Because the ganglion cell axons should be similar on either side of the Schwann-glial border, but the vacuoles were confined to the central nervous system, it is concluded that the degenerative process affects glial cells as opposed to neurons.
与其他哺乳动物一样，蒙古沙鼠的螺旋神经节细胞数量会随着年龄的增长而减少。这种细胞损失首先在24至30月龄动物神经节基部末端被观察到。在最年长的个体中，神经节顶端也受到影响。在36至42月龄动物的受影响区域，细胞数量减少了约15%至25%。在最年长的动物中，血管纹在顶端转弯处出现退化，并且在整个耳蜗管长度内的柯蒂氏器中观察到一些退行性变化。沙鼠耳蜗的衰老模式与其他物种所描述的相似。先前在沙鼠耳蜗核中描述的空泡，在蜗轴内的听神经中也可见，但在所有动物中都位于施万细胞 - 神经胶质边界的中央。空泡不存在于螺旋神经节或神经节细胞的外周突内。由于神经节细胞轴突在施万细胞 - 神经胶质边界两侧应该相似，但空泡局限于中枢神经系统，因此得出结论，退化过程影响的是神经胶质细胞而非神经元。
