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Pre‐ and postnatal development of the otic ganglion in humans
Author(s) -
Bandke Dave,
Ebauer Konstantin,
Ebauer Alexander,
Weis Serge
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.932
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1469-7580
pISSN - 0021-8782
DOI - 10.1111/joa.12898
Subject(s) - ganglion , biology , anatomy , fetus , neuroscience , pregnancy , genetics
Only a few papers exist dealing with the development and aging of the autonomic nervous system – and even rarer are studies that investigated the otic ganglion. Using a special trepan, we removed and investigated 172 samples from 86 corpses, ranging from 20 weeks of gestational age ( GA ) to 95 years of age. The aim of the study was to measure different morphometric parameters of the ganglionic neurons in order to study age‐related changes from early development until old age. Fetuses show the highest numerical density of neurons. Then, in the first years of life, a rapid growth of the cytoplasm takes place, which is the main reason for the neuronal growth and the increase of the general size of the otic ganglion at this age. Also, the number of satellite cells increases till puberty. In adults, the parameters are relatively stable over decades and decrease slowly, in contrast to the steep increase in the first years of life. Moreover, neuronal degeneration, storage of pigments, neuro‐axonal dystrophy, and lymphocytic infiltrates increase with age.