[Morphological characteristics of the cerebellar cortex at a young age and changes in its cytoarchitectonics in...

The results of histological, micrometric and immunohistochemical studies performed on sectional material of 69 men corpses aged from 21 to 29 years are presented. Two groups were identified: 42 deaths without drug addiction and 27 deaths from exposure to a toxic synthetic opioids drug, with the history their systematic use lasting from 16 months to 3 years. A comparative analysis of the morphological characteristics of cerebellar cortex tissues was carried out using staining with hematoxylin and eosin and according to the Nissl method (according to Snesarev). For immunohistochemical analysis of the samples, a panel of antibodies to the Vimentin protein was used. In each case, the distance between Purkinje cells was determined and the percentage of immunonegative Purkinje cells to Vimentin from their total number was calculated. In persons with a history of opioid dependence, signs of neurodegenerative changes in the cerebellar cortex were noted: deformation of the shape of Purkinje cells, morphological transformation of nuclei from karyopyknosis to karyorrhexis, and the appearance of fuzzy cell boundaries. There was no statistically significant difference in the distance between the Purkinje cells and their number in the opioid-dependent group and in the conditionally healthy group. An increase in the number of Purkinje cells immunopositive to the Vimentin protein was found in the group of deaths with opioid dependence. The results of assessing the cytoarchitectonics of the cerebellar cortex using an immunohistochemical method for studying Purkinje cells positively stained with antibodies to Vimentin can be used as additional criteria for forensic medical determination of the opioid dependence presence in the deceased.