Summary
A study of the amygdala of the guinea pig was carried out on material stained by the Nissl, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and monoamine oxidase (MAO) methods. The material stained for Nissl substance was used primarily as a reference in determining the distribution of the two enzymes. Regional differences in cell size and/or distribution were noted within the lateral, basal, medial and cortical nuclei. In the AChE preparations, it was observed that the large-celled part of the basal nucleus stained very intensely, the small-celled part of the basal nucleus and ventromedial part of the lateral nucleus more moderately, and the dorsolateral part of the lateral nucleus and cortical nucleus lightly. The central and medial nuclei showed almost no reaction. With the MAO method, the greatest staining reaction was seen in the medial nucleus, the medial part of the cortical nucleus, the anterior amygdaloid area and the ventromedial wedge of the putamen adjacent to the central nucleus. In addition, fibres of the stria terminalis stained very darkly.
These findings are discussed in relation to the observations of previous authors employing the same methods.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bogdanski, D. F., Weissbach, H., Udenfriend, S.: The distribution of serotonin, 5-hydroxytryptophan decarboxylase, and monoamine oxidase in brain. J. Neurochem. 1, 272–278 (1957).
Brodal, A.: The amygdaloid nucleus in the rat. J. comp. Neurol. 87, 1–16 (1947).
Fox, C. A.: Certain basal telencephalic centers in the cat. J. comp. Neurol. 72, 1–62 (1940).
Ganrot, P. O., Rosengren, E., Gottfries, C. G.: Effect of iproniazid on monoamines and monoamine oxidase in human brain. Experientia (Basel) 18, 260–261 (1962).
Geneser-Jensen, F. A.: Distribution of monoamine oxidase in the hippocampal region of the guinea pig. I. Entorhinal area, parasubiculum, and presubioulum. Z. Zellforsch. 117, 46–63 (1971).
—, Blackstad, T. W.: Distribution of acetylcholinesterase in the hippocampal region of the guinea pig. I. Entorhinal area, parasubiculum, and presubiculum. Z. Zellforsch. 114, 460–481 (1971).
Gerebtzoff, M. A.: Cholinesterases; a histochemical contribution to the solution of some functional problems. London: Pergamon Press 1959.
Giacomo, P. De: Studio istochimico sulla distribuzione dell'attivitá colinesterasica nell' amigdala cerebrale umana. Lav. neuropsichiat. 27, 38–52 (1960a).
—: Attivitá colinesterasica nel complesso amigdaloideo della cavia. Lav. neuropsichiat. 27, 3–14 (1960b).
Glenner, G. G., Burtner, H. J., Brown, G. W., Jr.: The histochemical demonstration of monoamine oxidase activity by tetrazolium salts. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 5, 591–600 (1957).
Gurdjian, E. S.: The corpus striatum of the rat. J. comp. Neurol. 45, 249–281 (1928).
Hall, E., Haug, F.-M. S., Ursin, H.: Dithizone and sulphide silver staining of the amygdala in the cat. Z. Zellforsch. 102, 40–48 (1969).
Hashimoto, P. H., Maeda, T., Torii, K., Shimizu, N.: Histochemical demonstration of autonomic regions in the central nervous system of the rabbit by means of a monoamine oxidase staining. Med. J. Osaka Univ. 12, 425–439 (1962).
Hjorth-Simonsen, A.: Fink-Heimer silver impregnation of degenerating axons and terminals in mounted cryostat sections of fresh and fixed brains. Stain Technol. 45, 199–204 (1970).
Ishii, T., Friede, R. L.: A comparative histochemical mapping of the distribution of acetyl-cholinesterase and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-diaphorase activities in the human brain. Int. Rev. Neurobiol. 10, 231–275 (1967).
Jansen, J., Jun., Jansen, J.: A note on the amygdaloid complex in the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus). Hvalraad. Skr. 39, 1–14 (1953).
Jeserich, M. W.: The nuclear pattern and the fiber connections of certain non-cortical areas of the telencephalon of the mink (Mustela vison). J. comp. Neurol. 83, 173–211 (1945).
Johnson, T. N.: Studies on the brain of the guinea pig. I. The nuclear pattern of certain basal telencephalic centers. J. comp. Neurol. 107, 353–377 (1957).
Johnston, J. B.: Further contributions to the study of the evolution of the forebrain. J. comp. Neurol. 35, 337–481 (1923).
Koelle, G. B.: The histochemical localization of cholinesterases in the central nervous system of the rat. J. comp. Neurol. 100, 211–235 (1954).
—, Friedenwald, J. S.: A histochemical method for localizing cholinesterase activity. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. (N.Y.) 70, 617–622 (1949).
Koikegami, H.: Amygdala and other related limbic structures; experimental studies on the anatomy and function. I. Anatomical researches with some neurophysiological observations, Acta med. biol. (Niigata) 10, 161–277 (1963).
Krnjević, K., Silver, A.: A histochemical study of cholinergic fibres in the cerebral cortex. J. Anat. (Lond.) 99, 711–759 (1965).
Lauer, E. W.: The nuclear pattern and fiber connections of certain basal telencephalic centers in the Macaque. J. comp. Neurol. 82, 215–254 (1945).
Lescault, H.: Some neocortico-amygdaloid connections in the cat. Proc. Can. Fed. Biol. Soc. 12, 24 (1969).
MacLean, R., Nicholson, W. J., Pare, C. M. B., Stacey, R. S.: Effect of monoamine-oxidase inhibitors on the concentrations of 5-hydroxy-trypamine in the human brain. Lancet 1965 II, 205–208.
Manocha, S. L.: Histochemical distribution of acetylcholinesterase and simple esterases in the brain of squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus). Histochemie 21, 236–248 (1970).
—, Shantha, T. R., Bourne, G. H.: Histochemical mapping of the distribution of monoamine oxidase in the diencephalon and basal telencephalic centers of the brain of squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus). Brain Res. 6, 570–586 (1967).
Nauta, W. J. H.: Über die sogenannte terminale Degeneration im Zentralnervensystem und ihre Darstellung durch Silberimprägnation. Schweiz. Arch. Neurol. Psychiat. 66, 353–376 (1950).
Romeis, B.: Mikroskopische Technik. München-Wien: R. Oldenbourg 1968.
Rose, M.: Cytoarchitektonischer Atlas der Großhirnrinde der Maus. J. Psychol. Neurol. (Lpz.) 40, 1–51 (1929).
Shimizu, N., Morikawa, N., Okada, M.: Histochemical studies of monoamine oxidase of the brain of rodents. Z. Zellforsch. 49, 389–400 (1959).
Shute, C. C. D., Lewis, P. R.: Cholinesterase-containing systems of the brain of the rat. Nature (Lond.) 199, 1160–1164 (1963).
Storm-Mathisen, J.: Quantitative histochemistry of acetylcholinesterase in rat hippocampal region correlated to histochemical staining. J. Neurochem. 17, 739–750 (1970).
Uchida, Y.: A contribution to the comparative anatomy of the amygdaloid nuclei in mammals, especially in rodents. Part I. Rat and mouse. Folia psychiat. neurol. jap. 4, 25–42 (1950a).
Uchida, Y.: A contribution to the comparative anatomy of the amygdaloid nuclei in mammals, especially in rodents. Part II. Guinea pig, rabbit and squirrel. Folia psychiat. neurol. jap. 4, 91–107 (1950b).
Valverde, F.: Studies on the piriform lobe. Cambridge, Mass: Harv. Univ. Press 1965.
Young, M. W.: The nuclear pattern and fiber connections of the non-cortical centers of the telencephalon of the rabbit (Lepus cuniculus). J. comp. Neurol. 65, 295–401 (1936).
Yu, H.: The amygdaloid complex in the rat. Thesis, University of Ottawa (1969).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported in part by the Canadian Medical Research Council Grant No. M.T. 870 and U.S. Public Health Service Grant No. NS-07998. This aid is gratefully acknowledged. We are indebted to Dr. Gorm Danscher for additional material and to Mr. A. Meier, Mrs. L. Munkøe, Mrs. K. Sørensen, Miss M. Sørensen, Miss D. Valgaard, and Miss B. Ørum for skillful assistance.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hall, E., Geneser-Jensen, F.A. Distribution of acetylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase in the amygdala of the guinea pig. Z. Zellforsch. 120, 204–221 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00335536
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00335536