Reduced aging defects in estrogen receptive brainstem nuclei in the female hamster

The nucleus pararetroambiguus (NPRA) and the commissural nucleus of the solitary tract (NTScom) show estrogen nuclear receptor-alpha immunoreactivity (nuclear ER-alpha-IR). Both cell groups are involved in estrous cycle related adaptations. We examined in normally cycling aged hamsters the occurrence/amount/frequency of age-related degenerative changes in NPRA and NTScom during estrus and diestrus. In 2640 electron microscopy photomicrographs plasticity reflected in the ratio of axon terminal surface/dendrite surface (t/d) was morpho-metrically analyzed. Medial tegmental field (mtf, nuclear ER-alpha-IR poor), served as control. In aged animals, irrespective of nuclear ER-alpha-IR+ or nuclear ER-alpha-IR- related cell groups, extensive diffuse degenerative structural aberrations were observed. The hormonal state had a strong influence on t/d ratios in NPRA and NTScom, but not in mtf. In NPRA and NTScom, diestrous hamsters had significantly smaller t/d ratios (NPRA, 0.750 +/- 0.050; NTScom, 0.900 +/- 0.039) than the estrous hamsters (NPRA, 1.083 +/- 0.075; NTScom, 1.204 +/- 0.076). Aging affected axodendritic ratios only in mtf (p <0.001). In conclusion: in the female hamster brain, estrous cycle-induced structural plasticity is preserved in NPRA and NTScom during aging despite the presence of diffuse age-related neurodegenerative changes. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.