Histoenzymatic and morphometric changes occurring in nerve cells of gyrus cinguli following treatment of young rats with vincristine.

The effect of treatment with vincristine on nerve cells of gyrus cinguli was studied. Wistar rats aged 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days were given single intraperitoneal injections of vincristine (0.01 mg/kg body weight). All experimental animals were decapitated at the age of 29 days and their brains subjected to histoenzymatic and morphometric examination. The control group consisted of untreated rats aged 29 days. The activity of phosphatases and esterases of the cingulum was evaluated histochemically and the morphometric parameters of pyramidal cells in this region were determined by means of a computer microscope "Morphoquant" (VEB Carl Zeiss JENA). The results of this study have shown that administration of therapeutic doses of vincristine to young rats brings about a drop of the neuronal AChE and NsE activity, contrary, to this, TPPase and acP activities of the pyramidal cells are enhanced by this treatment. Morphometric determinations have revealed elongation of the neuronal perikaryons along with an increase of indices of the cytoplasmatic area and volume of pyramidal cells. The observed alterations are considered to reflect degenerative processes of moderate intensity.