[Architectonics of thalamic anterior dorsal and reticular nuclei of women's brain].

Architectonics of anterior dorsal and reticular nuclei of the thalamus was studied. A study set consisted of 5 specimens from the brain collection of the Research Neurological Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. Specimens were female, aged 19--59 years, all right-handed, who died suddenly and had no neurological, severe somatic or mental diseases during life. The following parameters were measured: neuron density, satellite glia density, density of satellite-surrounded neurons. The individual variability in neuron density was found. It was more pronounced in the reticular nucleus compared to the anterior dorsal nucleus. The variability of satellite glia density was higher in anterior dorsal nucleus; no differences in density of satellite-surrounded neurons were seen between nuclei studied. Between-hemisphere asymmetry with greater values on the left hemisphere was seen for the neuron and satellite glia densities in the anterior dorsal nucleus compared to the reticular nucleus. The density of satellite-surrounded neurons was greater in the anterior dorsal nucleus of the left hemisphere and in the reticular nucleus of the right hemisphere.

[Some structural characteristics of the ventral posterior lateral nucleus of the thalamus in men and women].

Using quantitative neurohistological indices, a structure of the ventral posterior lateral nucleus of the thalamus has been studied in 10 cases from the collection of the Institute of Brain, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. The sample included 6 men and 4 women aged from 19 to 55 years, right-handed, who died suddenly and did not suffer neurological or mental disorders. Density of satellite gliocytes and density of neurons surrounded by satellite gliocytes were determined. Variability of these characteristics was related to sex and hemisphere differences. The index of satellite glia in 0.001 mm(3) was more variable in the right side both in men and women. The index of neurons surrounded by satellite gliocytes was more variable in the left side in men and in the right side in women. The asymmetry of neuron-glia ratio in the ventral posterior lateral nucleus of the thalamus was not marked. But there was a trend to its predominance in the left hemisphere compared to the right one both in men and women. However, the characteristics studied were more variable in men while the asymmetry was more marked in women.

[Peculiarities of neuronal sizes of anterior dorsal and reticular nuclei of the thalamus in women].

Profile field areas (PFA) were studied in 100 neurons in the anterior dorsal (ADN) and reticular nuclei (RN) of the thalamus in the left and right cerebral hemispheres of five women (10 hemispheres) aged from 19 to 33 years, using 20 microm-thick sections stained with Nissl's cresyl violet. Morphometric method using Image Scope Color <> program-device complex (Germany) was applied. <> (Wilcoxon matched pairs test) was used for the analysis of the data obtained. Greater variability of neuronal maximal PFA was detected in both nuclei in the right hemisphere. PFA average value was greater in RN than in ADN, and this difference was more significant in the left hemisphere in all women. The variability of average PFA value was greater in RN than in ADN, however in both nuclei it was greater on the right than on the left. Neuronal PFA variability was more expressed than its interhemispheric asymmetry.

Individual variability in the structural asymmetry of the dorsomedial nucleus of the thalamus in men and women.

Quantitative neurohistochemical parameters were used to study the structure of the dorsomedial nucleus of the thalamus. The study set consisted of 10 specimens from the collection of the Institute of the Brain, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and included seven men and three women aged 19-59 years, all right-handed, who died suddenly and had no neurological or mental diseases during life. The following parameters were measured: neuron density, total and satellite glia densities, the density of satellite-surrounded neurons, and the ratios of satellite glia to all glia and neurons surrounded by satellite glia to all neurons. On a background of individual variability in these measures, a number of gender-related and interhemisphere differences were found. Thus, neuron density in both men and women showed no asymmetry and individual variability was less marked in women. Glial cell density in men was greater on the right, while in women it was greater on the left; satellite glial cell density, conversely, was greater on the left in men and more variable in women. Significant asymmetry with greater values on the left in men was seen for the density of neurons surrounded by satellite glia, while this was more variable in women, though the ratio of neurons with satellite glia to all neurons was greater on the left in men and women, as was the ratio of satellite glia to all glial cells. Overall, there was a tendency to rather greater asymmetry in this structure in men and a tendency to greater individual variability in women.

Structural asymmetry of the basal nucleus of Meynert in men and women.

The structure of Meynert's nucleus was studied using quantitative neurohistological measures in 11 cases from the collection of the Institute of the Brain, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. The set consisted of seven men and four women aged 19-60 years (apart from one aged 70 years) and were patients who had died suddenly with no history of neurological or mental diseases. The following parameters were measured: neuron field profile, neuron density, total and satellite glial density, and the proportion of glia consisting of satellite glia and the proportion of neurons surrounded by satellites. All individual measures were analyzed statistically and differences between the hemispheres were determined. On a background of a large spread in individual values, there was significant asymmetry in neuron field profile area in different directions in men and women and tendencies to a greater neuron density on the left and a greater glial cell density on the right. Measures of satellite glia showed particularly large variation, with the result that the only identifiable result was a greater proportion of satellite-surrounded neurons in the right hemisphere. Overall, there was a tendency to somewhat greater asymmetry in the structure of this nucleus in men.

[Individual variability and structural asymmetry of the dorsal medial nucleus of the thalamus in men and women].

Using quantitative neurohistological indices, a structure of the dorsal medial nucleus of the thalamus has been studied in 10 cases from the collection of the Institute of Brain, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. The sample included 7 men and 3 women aged from 19 to 59 years, right-handed, who died suddenly and did not suffer lifetime neurological or mental disorders. The following indices have been determined: neuronal density, density of total and satellite glia, density of neurons surrounded by the satellite glia as well as portion of the satellite glia to the total one and portion of satellite-surrounded neurons to their total amount. Some sex and hemisphere differences were found against the background of individual variability of the indices studied. No asymmetry was observed for neuronal density both in men and women, individual variability in women being less expressed. The density of glial cells was dominated on the right side in men and on the left side in women and that of satellite ones, on the contrary, was higher on the left side in men and more variable in women. There was a significant asymmetry of the density of neurons surrounded by the satellite glia with higher indices on the left side in men and higher variability in women. However the portion of neurons with satellite glia to their total amount as well as the portion of the satellite glia to the total one was larger on the left side both in men and women. In total, there was a trend to a larger asymmetry of the dorsal medial nucleus structure in men and to individual variability in women.

[Structural asymmetry of the basal nucleus of Meynert in men and women].

Using quantitative neurohistological indices, a structure of the nucleus of Meynert has been studied in 11 cases from the collection of the Institute of Brain Researches of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. The sample included 7 men and 4 women aged from 19 to 60 years (with the exception of one individual of 70 years of age), who died suddenly and did not suffer lifetime from neurological or mental disorders. The following indices have been determined: neuron profile field, neuronal density, density of total and satellite glia as well as portion of satellite glia in the total one and portion of satellite-surrounded neurons in their total amount. All individual indices were processed using statistical methods and difference between hemispheres was determined. Despite the broad variance of individual indices, significant asymmetry of the square of neuron profile field, which was sex-dependent, a tendency to higher neuronal density on the left side and to that of glia cells on the right side were observed. Because changes of the satellite glia indices were most variable, it seems possible to emphasize only a large portion of satellite-surrounded neurons in the right hemisphere. In total, there was a trend to a larger asymmetry of the nucleus structure in men.

[A structural organization of the sensory projections on a reticular formation of the brain stem]. / Strukturnaia organizatsiia sensornykh proektsii na retikuliuarnuiu formatsiiu stvola mozga.

The animal experiments were performed by the cutting the sensory afferent tracts which had the projections on the reticular formation (RF) of brain stem, namely--visual, acoustic and taste tracts. Brain was investigated by methods of Marki, Nauta, Fink-Haimer. A quantitative evaluation of the voluminous fractions of neurons and gla was carried out by using "Classimat" device. Capillary density was also counted. A morphologic substrate for the conduction of the specific influences was found in form of both afferent fibers entering in brain stem and the cell groups associated with them. Between the specific brain stem and reticular structures of medulla oblongata, brain stem and midbrain (n.cuneiformis, n. tegmenti pedunculo-ponticus, n.centralis oralis and caudalis pontis, n. papillioformis, n. parabrachialis medialis and n. parvocellularis) intermediate zones were determined which were localized on the junction between sensory and reticular nuclei and had specific afferentation. Intermediate zones were also found in RF between the nuclei in both oral-caudal and mediolateral directions. An idea was formulated about the differencies in a structural organization of RF in medulla oblongata, brain stem and midrain, that were conditioned by a multicentral localization of RF functions.

[The individual characteristics of the cytoarchitectonics of subcortical-stem formations in the human brain]. / Individual'nye osobennosti tsitoarkhitektoniki nekotorykh podkorkovo-stvolovykh obrazovanii mozga cheloveka.

Both quantitative and qualitative analysis of individual cytoarchitectonic peculiarities of Meynart's nucleus as well as of external part of dorsomedial nucleus of thalamus was performed in mentally normal individuals. The series of brain's 20-microns sections stained with cresyl violet were studied. Some individual morphological qualitative and quantitative peculiarities were evaluated in Meynart's nucleus and in dorsomedial nucleus of thalamus. A number of pronounced cytoarchitectonic peculiarities were revealed in above-mentioned cerebral structures of the persons with outstanding abilities (the cases were taken from the special collection of Moscow Institute of Brain of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences).

[The problem of the individual variability of the human brain]. / Problema individualnoi variabelnosti mozga cheloveka.

Series of frontal sections, 20 microns thick, were used to study the individual cytoglio-architectonic features of fields 8.8, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 47 of the caudate nucleus, dorsomedial nucleus of the thalamus, Meynert's nucleus in 12 persons aged 29 to 89 years. The profile fields of neurons, their density and the density of gliocytes, including perineuronal ones were measured by computed morphometry, the cellular composition was determined from size of neurons, as well as the neuroglial and neuroperineuronal indices were defined. In 6 cases (distinguished, gifted persons), all the formations under study showed structural signs (abundant satellitosis, predominant large neurons, etc.) suggesting that there is a high functioning of nerve cells whose quantitative parameters are greater than those in other cases.

[Changes in the cytoarchitectonics of the field 4 of human cerebral cortex in perinatal developmental defects]. / Izmeneniia tsitoarkhitektoniki polia 4 kory golovnogo mozga pri perinatal'nykh porokakh razvitiia.

Knowledge of the morphological characteristics is essential for the understanding of the pathogenesis and finding of effective treatment for children with perinatal brain disorders (cerebral palsy). The authors studied histological sections (Nissl-stained) of field 4 of the cerebral cortex from 20 patients aged 3 to 14 years. Demonstrating the signs of nonspecific changes in the nervous tissue and revealing the damage of development, the results of the work can be used for interpreting the data of a quantitative image analysis of the cortex cytoarchitectonics.

[Cytological structure of various subcortical and brain stem nuclei of human brain in the normal state and in Alzheimer's disease]. / Tsitoarkhitektonicheskie osobennosti nekotorykh podkorkovo- stvolovykh iader mozga cheloveka v norme i pri bolezni A'ltsgeimera.

The works provides a morphological analysis of lesions in central upper median reticular nucleus (nucleus raphe) of the midbrain and basal Meinert nucleus in patients with Alzheimer disease. Cytoarchitectonic investigation was performed on the series of 20 microns-thick frontal sections of the brain stained with cresyl violet. The neuronal cross-sectional areas were numerically assessed. Marked individual structural features of these nuclei were characteristic of normals, and not age-related. These structures were largely involved into the Alzheimer disease.

[Structural organization of subcortical-stem formations of the human brain during aging]. / Strukturnaia organizatsiia nekotorykh podkorkovo-stvolovykh obrazovanii mozga cheloveka v protsesse stareniia.

Using "Videoplan" apparatus manufactured by "Reihert" (Austria) the authors studied qualitative and quantitative cytoarchitectonic characteristics of the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus, individual reticular nuclei of the pontomesencephalic fissure, Meynert's nucleus and locus coeruleus in senile dementia (simple-type) and Alzheimer's disease in comparison with their structure in normal subjects of various age (from 30 to 90 years). Examination of 20-microns thin sections stained after Nissl has revealed both qualitative and quantitative cytoarchitectonic changes (a reduction in the area of the profile fields of neurons) which were more pronounced, along with cholinergic Meynert's nucleus, in the serotoninergic nuclei of the fissure and particularly in patients with Alzheimer's disease in whom they were far more expressed than in those with senile dementia.

[Various patterns in structural changes in the cortex and subcortical structures of the human brain during the aging process]. / Nekotorye zakonomernosti strukturnykh izmenenii kory i podkorkovykh obrazovanii mozga cheloveka v protsesse stareniia.

The authors examined the structural organization of cortical and subcortical formations (fields 4, 6, 8, 44, 47, 39, the head of the caudate nucleus and thalamic nuclei) of the right and left hemispheres of the brain of 6 mentally normal subjects aged 30 to 90 years. In sections 20 millimicron thick and stained by Nissl's method the authors measured the density of neurons in subcortical nuclei, in layers III and V of the cortical fields, as well as the number of neurons containing lipofuscin. The identified characteristics indicate heterochronicity of the process of ageing in different portions of the brain: motor and, particularly, cortical structures are involved in this process earlier and more intensively than others.

[Morphological and functional characteristics of the inspiratory and expiratory formations of the medial and lateral areas of the respiratory center]. / Morfologicheskaia i funktsional'naia kharakteristika inspiratornykh i ékspiratornykh obrazovanii medial'noi i lateral'noi zon dykhatel'nogo tsentra.

The density of the reticular and respiratory neurones in the inspiratory and the exspiratory "points" of medial and lateral zones of the medulla oblongata the electrical stimulation of which is accompanied by the maximum inspiratory and exspiratory effects has been studied in the anesthetized cats. The electrophysiological and morphological data allow to relate the structures studied to the respiratory centre and confirm the correct picking out of two functionally heterogeneous zones - the medial and lateral.

[Morphologic criteria of the structural asymmetry of the cortical and subcortical structures of the human brain]. / Morfologicheskie kriterii strukturnoi asimmetrii korkovykh i podkorkovykh obrazovanii mozga cheloveka.

Using a cytoarchitectonic and quantitative methods, the authors investigated the structural organization of Fields 4, 6, 8, 39, 40, 43, 46, 47, caudate and dorsomedial nuclei of the tuber cinereum in the right and the left cerebral hemispheres in a grown-up right-handed man. With the help of electron computers definite parameters of neurons in the cortex (layers III and V) and in the subcortical nuclei were determined. The material obtained was statistically processed. Morphological criteria of the structural organization of the above-listed formations were identified. These included indicators of the total volumetric fraction of neurons and glia, profile fields of neurons, and the neuronal composition. Structural asymmetry was revealed, with the left hemisphere being dominant in the logomotor and motor fields. There were no signs of structural asymmetry in either the frontal and parietal fields or in the subcortical formations. The interpretation of the results obtained is attempted.

[Structural features of the brain stem reticular formation, hippocampus and limbic region of the cortex]. / Strukturnye osobennosti retikuliarnoi formatsii stvola mozga, gippokampa i limbicheskoi oblasti kory.

The paper compares the structural reorganization of reticular formation of the brain stem with the cortical structures of the limbic system--hippocamp and limbic cortex in the mammalian comparative order (a hedgehog, a rabbit, a cat, a dog, a dolphin, a monkey, a man). In all the studied links of the limbico-reticular system the author revealed general regularity: the main trend of a structural development is expressed in the intensification of their structural heterogeneity: nuclei are divided in subnuclei, areas in subareas, layers in sublayers. In all structures these features are expressed more vividly in their phylogenetic new parts. Besides, changes of the brain caudal sections--reticular formation are relatively less expressed than the rostral sections, i.e. hippocamp and limbic cortex.