Size and density of oligodendroglial nuclei in rats with CCl4-induced liver disease

The nuclear size and density of oligodendrocytes in corpus callosum were investigated in rats with CCl4-induced hepatic encephalopathy. An increase in density (15 per cent) of oligodendroglial nuclei was found after 8 weeks of CCl4-administration. Measurements using an electronic image analysing system demonstrated a simultaneous decrease (13 per cent) in the nuclear size. It was concluded that these changes were due to an increase in the number of oligodendrocytes with small, dark nuclei. The corpus callosum did not show significant signs of axonal or myelin degeneration. In the cortical and subcortical grey matter degenerated neurones were observed; the oligodendroglial proliferation could, possibly, be a reaction to neuronal degeneration.