Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026
10:49
Ocular Kinematics Measured by In Vitro Stimulation of the Cranial Nerves in the Turtle
Published on: June 2, 2018
Age changes in the human oculomotor nerve - a stereological study.
Saroj Sharma1, Bappaditya Ray, Dayanand Bhardwaj
1Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110 029, India.
Summary
The oculomotor nerve (ON) shows significant age-related changes in its structure, with increased cross-sectional area and myelin thickness up to the third decade. Connective tissue also increases with age, particularly in older individuals.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
- Anatomy
Background:
- The oculomotor nerve (ON) controls eye movements but its age-related morphological changes are poorly understood.
- Existing research lacks detailed data on the aging process of the ON's neural and connective tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related morphological changes in the pre-cavernous portion of the oculomotor nerve.
- To provide sequential morphometric data on the ON from postnatal development to old age.
Main Methods:
- Studied 38 oculomotor nerves from cadavers aged 40 days to 78 years.
- Analyzed cross-sections using stereological techniques to quantify axons, myelinated fiber area, and myelin thickness.
- Examined neural and connective tissue organization.
Main Results:
- The ON's cross-sectional area significantly increased up to the third decade.
- Myelin thickness showed a significant age-related increase.
- Connective tissue content progressively increased with age, becoming most prominent in the eighth decade.
Conclusions:
- The study provides novel baseline morphometric data on age-related changes in the oculomotor nerve.
- Findings highlight significant structural alterations in the ON throughout the lifespan.
- This data can inform future research on ON function and pathology in aging populations.
