[Distribution and origin of corpola amylacea in the vestibulocochlear nerve].

The distribution of the corpora amylacea in the vestibulocochlear nerve is very limited. We studied the relation between the number of corpora amylacea in the cochlear nerve and the aging of cochlea and developed some hypotheses on the origin of corpora amylacea. This study involved 11 subjects, 14 samples. The results were as follows. There was no relationship between the number of corpora amylacea in the cochlear nerve and aging of the cochlea. Corpora amylacea probably have no relation to cochlear disorders. However, it was reported that corpora amylacea were produced more than 10 years after the organ's obstruction. There is a possibility that corpora amylacea increased 10 years after disorders developed in the cochlear nerve. There is a neurilemma-Schwann sheath junction (NSS junction) in the vestibulocochlear nerve. Corpora amylacea characteristically exist only in the central portion of the vestibulocochlear nerve on one side of the NSS junction. There are 3 possibilities regarding the origin of corpora amylacea which include consideration of the hypothesis that the NSS junction is the point where the vestibulocochlear nerve pierces the encephal dura mater. 1) Supposing that the origin of the corpora amylacea is the vestibulocochlear nerve itself, we would expect that the oligodendrocytes which are components of the vestibulocochlear nerve to be the origin of the corpora amylacea because they exist only in the central portion of the nerve, but not in peripheral portions of the nerve. 2) Supposing that the origin of the corpora amylacea is not the vestibulocochlear nerve itself, we would expect that the perineurium from the encephal dura mater to be the origin of corpora amylacea.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)