The touch corpuscles of the plantar surface of the big toe. Histological and histometrical investigations with respect to age.

Meissner's corpuscles of the plantar surface of the big toe of 30 persons were investigated histologically and histometrically with respect to age. The number of corpuscles decreases exponentially with increasing age. During the first decades of life the corpuscles exhibit a steady lateral and longitudinal growth. At an advanced age an atrophy of Meissner's corpuscles occurs. In spite of considerable individual variations, a distinct dependency on age can be noticed. Certain diseases, particularly disorders resulting in polyneuropathies, may initiate changes in the numbers and the structure of the corpuscles. Possible interrelationships between morphological neurophysiological and clinical findings are discussed.