Spinal radiculoneuropathy in aging rats: demyelination secondary to neuronal dwindling?

Temporal development of radicular demyelination was studied in male albino rats examined sequentially throughout the lifespan of the animals. The rats were perfusion-fixed with paraformaldehyde and glutaraldehyde and areas of their nervous system including the lumbar spinal roots, the spinal cord, and the peripheral sciatic nerve, were embedded in epoxy resin and submitted to microscopic examination in semithin and ultrathin sections. In addition, a vital fat stain, teasing of single nerve fibers, and estimates of axon diameter and fiber number were obtained. Degenerative changes occurred earlier in the distal portions of nerve fibers than in the spinal roots. The radicular lesion consisted of swelling of myelin and demyelination possibly secondary to shrinkage of axons, resulting in focal accumulation of lipid debris within the spinal roots of old rats. Although the causation of senile neuronal atrophy affecting rat peripheral neurons is not fully obvious, this condition may be exacerbated by such factors as pressure on the nerves and hypoactivity.