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Neuropediatrics 1990; 21(1): 24-26
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1071452
Original article

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Dendritic Development of Motor Neurons in the Cervical Anterior Horn and Hypoglossal Nucleus of Normal Infants and Victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

S.  Takashima1 , T.  Mito1 , L. E. Becker2
  • 1National Institute of Neuroscience, NCNP, Division of Mental Retardation and Birth Defect Research, Tokyo, Japan
  • 2The Hospital for Sick Children, Division of Neuropathology (Department of Pathology), Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8
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Publication History

Publication Date:
19 March 2008 (online)

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Abstract

Morphometric Golgi methods were used to study dendritic development of neurons in the cervical ventral and dorsal horns and the hypoglossal nucleus of 8 victims of sudden infant death syndrome and 20 age-matched control infants. The dendrites and spines of these neurons proliferated rapidly until 28 weeks gestation, then increased slowly until shortly after birth. Dendritic spine density of motor neurons in the cervical anterior horn and hypoglossal nucleus of victims of sudden infant death syndrome was similar to that of the controls. Thus, the delayed maturation of dendritic spines seen in the reticular formation and vagal nuclei is not present in motor neurons of the cervical anterior horn and hypoglossal nucleus.

Key words

Sudden infant death syndrome - Spinal cord - Dendrite - Synapse

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