The brains of rats with streptozocin-induced diabetes treated with a low-dose insulin regimen (1 IU/day) were studied with morphometric techniques. After 1 yr of diabetes, brain weight decreased slightly (1350 ± 71 vs. 1521 ± 55 mg, 2P < .01) as did the volume of the neocortex (498 ± 36 vs. 567 ± 40 mm3, 2P < .05). A significant loss of neocortical neurons occurred (38 ± 2 × 106 vs. 46 ± 3 × 106, 2P < .01), and the length of the capillary network in the neocortical tissue shortened disproportionately (405 ± 102 vs. 631 ± 47 m, 2P < .01), leading to increased diffusion distance. The mechanisms underlying cerebral loss in this model are unknown, but abnormalities of the vascular supply with prolongation of the route of diffusion might play a role.
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Original Contributions|
May 01 1987
Quantitative Changes of Cerebral Neocortical Structure in Insulin-Treated Long-Term Streptozocin-lnduced Diabetes in Rats
Johannes Jakobsen;
Johannes Jakobsen
Diabetes Research Laboratory, University Institute of Pathology and Second University Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Neurology, Aarhus Kommunehospital
Aarhus, Denmark
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Per Sidenius;
Per Sidenius
Diabetes Research Laboratory, University Institute of Pathology and Second University Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Neurology, Aarhus Kommunehospital
Aarhus, Denmark
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H J G Gundersen;
H J G Gundersen
Diabetes Research Laboratory, University Institute of Pathology and Second University Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Neurology, Aarhus Kommunehospital
Aarhus, Denmark
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Ruth Østerby
Ruth Østerby
Diabetes Research Laboratory, University Institute of Pathology and Second University Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Neurology, Aarhus Kommunehospital
Aarhus, Denmark
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Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. J. Jakobsen, Diabetes Research Laboratory, Bartholin Bygningen, Universitetsparken, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
Diabetes 1987;36(5):597–601
Article history
Received:
February 14 1986
Revision Received:
November 05 1986
Accepted:
November 05 1986
PubMed:
3552791
Citation
Johannes Jakobsen, Per Sidenius, H J G Gundersen, Ruth Østerby; Quantitative Changes of Cerebral Neocortical Structure in Insulin-Treated Long-Term Streptozocin-lnduced Diabetes in Rats. Diabetes 1 May 1987; 36 (5): 597–601. https://doi.org/10.2337/diab.36.5.597
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