(-)deprenyl and (-)parafluorodeprenyl-treatment prevents age-related pigment changes in the substantia nigra. A TV-image analysis of neuromelanin.

With the aid of TV-image analysis the number, the area and the density features of melanin granules in neurocytes of the substantia nigra in a group of 3-month-old naive male rats and in a 21-month-old group of male rats treated for 18 months with saline, (-)deprenyl and (-)parafluorodeprenyl, respectively, were determined. According to the Kolmogorov 2-sample test the two drug-treated groups do not differ significantly from each other in the number, total area and area of one pigment granule. In the aged saline-treated group the number of melanin granules decreased significantly and the area of the melanin granules increased in comparison to young controls as well as to the drug-treated groups.