Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Erciyes Tip Dergisi, cilt.25, sa.4, ss.179-185, 2003 (Scopus)
Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to reveal age-related changes in rat brain. Materials and Methods: Forty-five, 90 and 280-day-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. The Cavalieri's Volume Estimate Method, very efficient in estimating brain volume, was applied to estimate the total brain volume of the rats. Results: The mean (± S.E.) total brain weights of rats were 2.376 ± 0.006, 2.348 ± 0.04 7 and 2.595 ± 0.059 gr. in 45, 90 and 280 day-old animals, respectively. There was no significant difference between 45 and 90 day-old animals, although there were significant differences between 45 and 280 (P<0.01), and between 90 and 280 day old rats (P<0.01). However, total brain volumes of rats showed significant differences among groups of animals. The total brain volume was estimated as 0.865 ± 0.026, 0.963 ± 0.022 and 1.165 ± 0.071 cm3 in 45, 90 and 280 days old animals, respectively. Conclusion: These significant differences in both brain weight and brain volume in ageing suggested that brain volume could change even after neurogenesis is completed. Therefore, in estimating the numerical density, changes in brain volume must be taken into consideration.