Summary: We compared morphometric data on various nerve cells in the human special sensory system using the modified Klü ver-Barrera staining method with an extremely minimized shrinkage ratio and an image-analyzer. According to the measurement data of cell-body sizes, we classified nerve cells of the various nerve nuclei in the special sensory system into three groups. These data are of interest to better understand the process of nerve conduction in the special sensory system.There have been several qualitative reports on the morphology of various brainstem nuclei in humans1,2). Quantitative evaluations, however, are fairly rare, especially with methods minimizing shrinkage ratio. The aim of this study is to bring to light morphological and morphometrical comparisons of various nuclei in the special sensory system.The special sensory system consists of the visual pathway (lateral geniculate body), the auditory pathway (ventral cochlear nucleus; dorsal cochlear nucleus; medial superior olivary nucleus; inferior collicular nucleus; medial geniculate body), the gustatory pathway (solitary tract nucleus) and the olfactory pathway. We studied morphological and morphometrical data regarding the abovementioned nuclei. MethodsUsing an image-analyzer equipped with a microscope and tissue sections stained with a special method (modified Klü ver-Barrera staining method [K-B] after secondary fixation in chromic acid and embedding in celloidine3), we examined the nerve cells in the special sensory system. We studied the brainstem nuclei after making serial K-B sections (40 mm thick) of the brainstem and cerebellum in a 63-year-old female. Neurons for each nucleus (39 to 269 in number) were selected for measurement.For the measurement of the neuronal areas, an image analyzing system was adopted: Soft Imaging System GmbH equipped with a microscope (Olympus BX 40) and a computer (Dell Precision 530). Enlarged images (40 times) of the neurons on the liquid crystalline viewer were measured with a pencil-type tracer (Wacom FAVO F630) to trace the contour of neurons having a nucleolus in the nucleus. ResultsNeuromorphological comparisons (see Fig. 1)The lateral geniculate nucleus showed six laminations of neurons when it was observed on the coronary section: Layers 1-6 from the bottomup. Among these layers, layers 1 and 2 consisted of larger oval medium size neurons (LGN1 and LGN2), while layers 4 and 5 consisted of rather smaller oval medium size neurons (LGN4 and LGN5).In the inferior collicular nucleus (ICN), the majority of neurons were small, oval, pyriform, spindle

We found a morphological similarity in the distribution of vascular lesions in five hanging suicide brains. The overall findings on the lesions remind us of the venous origin but not of the arterial origin of the blood supply. Morphometric evaluations did not reveal any valuable conclusion. The results of this pathological research may be of clinical importance for the treatment of hanging patients.