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Nerve cell loss in the thalamic centromedian-parafascicular complex in patients with Huntington’s disease

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Abstract

The centromedian-parafascicular complex represents a nodal point in the neuronal loop comprising striatum — globulus pallidus — thalamus — striatum. Striatal neurone degeneration is a hallmark in Huntington’s disease and we were interested in estimating total neurone and glial number in this thalamic nuclear complex. Serial 500-μm-thick gallocyanin-stained frontal sections of the left hemisphere from six cases of Huntington’s disease patients (three females, three males) and six age- and sex-matched controls were investigated applying Cavalieri’s principle and the optical disector. Mean neurone number in the controls was 646,952 ± 129,668 cells versus 291,763 ± 60, 122 in Huntington’s disease patients (Mann-Whitney U-test, P < 0.001). Total glial cell number (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia, and unclassifiable glial profiles) was higher in controls with 9,544,191 ± 3,028,944 versus 6,961,989 ± 2,241,543 in Huntington’s disease patients (Mann-Whitney U-test, P < 0.021). Considerable increase of fibrous astroglia within the centromedian-parafascicular complex could be observed after Gallyas’ impregnation. Most probably this cell type enhanced the numerical ratio between glial number and neurone number (glial index: Huntington’s disease patients = 24.4 ±8.1; controls = 15.0 ± 5.2; Mann-Whitney U-test, P < 0.013). The neurone number in the centromedian-parafascicular complex correlated negatively, although statistically not significantly, with the striatal neurone number. This lack of correlation between an 80% neuronal loss in the striatum and a 55% neurone loss in the centromedian-parafascicular complex points to viable neuronal circuits connecting the centromedian-parafascicular complex with cortical and subcortical regions that are less affected in Huntington’s disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Morphologische Hirnforschung, Universitats-Nervenklinik, Fuchsleinstrasse 15, D-97080, Würzburg, Germany

    H. Heinsen

  2. Nervenkrankenhaus des Bezirks Unterfranken, D-97816, Lohr, Germany

    U. Rüb, D. Gangnus & G. Jungkunz

  3. Psychiatrisches Landeskrankenhaus Wiesloch, Postfach 1420, D-69155, Wiesloch, Germany

    M. Bauer & G. Ulmar

  4. Klinikum Bayreuth, Institut für Pathologie, Preuschwitzer Strasse 101, D-95445, Bayreuth, Germany

    B. Bethke

  5. Nervenkrankenhaus des Bezirks Oberfranken, Cottenbacher Strasse 23, D-95445, Bayreuth, Germany

    M. Schüler & F. Böcker

  6. Institut fur Rechtsmedizin der Universitat, Frauenlobstrasse 7 a, D-80337, München, Germany

    W. Eisenmenger

  7. Klinikum Aschaffenburg, Institut für Pathologie, Am Hasenkopf, D-63739, Aschaffenburg, Germany

    M. Götz

  8. Pathologisches Institut, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, D-97080, Wurzburg, Germany

    M. Strik

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  1. H. Heinsen
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  6. G. Ulmar
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Heinsen, H., Rüb, U., Gangnus, D. et al. Nerve cell loss in the thalamic centromedian-parafascicular complex in patients with Huntington’s disease. Acta Neuropathol 91, 161–168 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004010050408

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s004010050408

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