[Fronto-striatal correlations in normal and pathologic aging of the human brain]

In psychically healthy persons of three age groups (30-40, 50-60, 80-90 years), as well as in those suffering from Alzheimer's disease (50-60 years) right and left hemispheres formations, including into a single functional system (fields 8, 10, 47 and the nucleus caudatus) have been investigated. Using the series of frontal paraffin sections 20 mcm thick, stained after Nissl and Bielschowsky methods, cyto-glioarchitectonics and neuronal composition of the structures mentioned have been studied. In 0.001 mm3 of the brain substance, in cortical layers II and V and in the nucleus caudatus head density of neurons, perineuronal glia, neurons with lipofuscin, size of the neurons have been calculated. Various degree of manifestation of morphological changes is revealed in different stages of the single functional system. These changes are directly proportional to the organizational level of the structures studied and depend on the stage of the process, on accompanying diseases and individual peculiarities of the person. They are more intensive in the frontal fields and weaker in the nucleus caudatus. At Alzheimer's disease they are more distinct in the associative fields 10 and 47, at normal ageing--in the motor structures--in the field 8 and then in the nucleus caudatus. Spreading of the pathological process occurs with a predominant damage of neurons of cholinergic origin.