A study of pyramidal cell axon collaterals in intact and partially isolated adult cerebral cortex

Abstract

A quantitative study was made of pyramidal cell axon collaterals in Golgi impregnated adult cat cerebral cortex. Cellular samples were obtained from 3 groups, intact, undercut and long-term electrically stimulated undercut cortex.Undercut tissue had cells with significantly fewer axon collaterals and fewer branches than did intact. Long-term electrically stimulated undercut tissue contained neurons which were not different from intact in these two measures. There was, therefore, a preservation of axonal morphology in stimulated undercut, adult cortex.Results do not support a theory of axonal proliferation to explain supersensitivity in partially isolated mature cortex.The preservation of axonal components and the preservation of dendritic spines, previously reported, indicates the prevention of some degenerative changes in certain cortical neurons brought about by long-term electrical stimulation.