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Published on: June 13, 2017
Age-related changes in human laryngeal nerves
Romualdo Tiago1, Paulo Pontes, Osíris Camponês do Brasil
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, Federal University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. romualdotiago@uol.com.br
Summary
Aging reduces myelinated nerve fibers in the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Adults have more myelinated fibers in laryngeal nerves than the elderly, indicating age-related nerve fiber loss.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Anatomy
Background:
- Laryngeal nerves are crucial for voice and swallowing.
- The aging process may affect nerve fiber morphology and quantity.
- Understanding age-related changes is vital for clinical interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a morphometric analysis of myelinated fibers in laryngeal nerves.
- To quantify age-related changes in superior laryngeal nerves (SLN) and recurrent laryngeal nerves (RLN).
Main Methods:
- Autopsy samples of SLN and RLN were collected from 12 cadavers.
- Cadavers were divided into adult (<60 years) and elderly (>=60 years) groups.
- Morphometric analysis focused on the total number of myelinated nerve fibers.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in myelinated fiber count was found in the SLN between adult and elderly groups.
- The adult group showed a significantly higher total myelinated fiber count in the RLN compared to the elderly group (P=0.005).
- Overall, the adult group had a greater total number of myelinated fibers in both SLN and RLN combined than the elderly group (P=0.02).
Conclusions:
- The aging process is associated with a reduction in myelinated nerve fibers, particularly in the recurrent laryngeal nerves.
- Adults possess a higher total number of myelinated fibers in laryngeal nerves compared to the elderly.
- These findings highlight age-related nerve degeneration impacting laryngeal function.
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