Vol 62, No 4 (2003)
Original article
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2003-09-05
A comparative study of the mammalian amygdala: a Golgi study of the basolateral amygdala
Maciej Równiak, Stanisław Szteyn, Anna Robak
Folia Morphol 2003;62(4):331-339.
Vol 62, No 4 (2003)
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2003-09-05
Abstract
The lateral (LA), basolateral (BL) and basomedial (BM) amygdaloid nuclei were
compared in the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) fox
(Vulpes vulpes) and pig (Sus scrofa) by using the Golgi techniques. The interspecific
comparisons of the individual basolateral nuclei have shown that the neuronal
structure in each of them is extremely stable and remains almost unchanged
in the series of animals studied. The only difference is the size of the basolateral
neurons, which increases with the increasing size of the brain. Moreover, the
intraspecific comparisons revealed that in all the animals studied LA, BL and BM
form a fairly homogenous mass of cells in which similar cell types are present.
The most numerous neurons in all basolateral nuclei are the spiny cells that often
show a pyramidal or semi-pyramidal appearance (the Type I cells). Many of these
have conical cell bodies and easily recognisable "apical" and "basal" dendrites.
The Type II neurons are the most common variety of non-pyramidal cell and have
round cell bodies and smooth or sparsely spined dendrites. The axons of these
cells often form a dense terminal field that remains in the vicinity of the parent
soma. The Type III cells, which are only occasionally seen, are small spine-sparse
neurogliaform neurons with a few extremely delicate beaded dendrites and
a poorly branching local axon. These neurons were only located in LA and BL.
Abstract
The lateral (LA), basolateral (BL) and basomedial (BM) amygdaloid nuclei were
compared in the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) fox
(Vulpes vulpes) and pig (Sus scrofa) by using the Golgi techniques. The interspecific
comparisons of the individual basolateral nuclei have shown that the neuronal
structure in each of them is extremely stable and remains almost unchanged
in the series of animals studied. The only difference is the size of the basolateral
neurons, which increases with the increasing size of the brain. Moreover, the
intraspecific comparisons revealed that in all the animals studied LA, BL and BM
form a fairly homogenous mass of cells in which similar cell types are present.
The most numerous neurons in all basolateral nuclei are the spiny cells that often
show a pyramidal or semi-pyramidal appearance (the Type I cells). Many of these
have conical cell bodies and easily recognisable "apical" and "basal" dendrites.
The Type II neurons are the most common variety of non-pyramidal cell and have
round cell bodies and smooth or sparsely spined dendrites. The axons of these
cells often form a dense terminal field that remains in the vicinity of the parent
soma. The Type III cells, which are only occasionally seen, are small spine-sparse
neurogliaform neurons with a few extremely delicate beaded dendrites and
a poorly branching local axon. These neurons were only located in LA and BL.
Keywords
amygdala; basolateral nuclei; neuronal structure; comparative study
Title
A comparative study of the mammalian amygdala: a Golgi study of the basolateral amygdala
Journal
Folia Morphologica
Issue
Vol 62, No 4 (2003)
Article type
Original article
Pages
331-339
Published online
2003-09-05
Page views
617
Article views/downloads
1194
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2003;62(4):331-339.
Keywords
amygdala
basolateral nuclei
neuronal structure
comparative study
Authors
Maciej Równiak
Stanisław Szteyn
Anna Robak
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