Summary
In 8 male albino strain guinea pigs, 1 mg/kg of methamphetamine HCl was injected daily for 7 months to 1 year to produce chronic methamphetamine intoxication and to study the fine structure of the brain electron microscopically. The following results were obtained:
-
1.
Coalescence of membranes, between axons at the nerve endings and between axons and dendrites, was found in the cortex of the cerebrum and limbic system, in the thalamus and hypothalamus. Membranous structures were found in all portions of the cytoplasm of the nerve cells.
-
2.
Within the cytoplasm of the nerve cell, coated vesicles were increased in number with hypertrophy and increase of endoplasmic reticulum within nerve fibres in the frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital regions, and in the limbic system.
In view of these findings, as well as the clinical neurological symptoms in patients with methamphetamine poisoning, the coalescence of membranes between nerve processes and the appearance of membranous structures in all portions of nerve cell cytoplasm from body to nerve endings appear to represent the most important findings, they probably produce a profound disturbance in the system of nerve conduction and transmission.
Zusammenfassung
Amphetaminchlorid in Mengen von 1 mg pro kg pro Tag wurde 8 männlichen Meerschweinchen ungefähr 1 Jahr lang täglich injiziert, um eine chronische Amphetaminvergiftung zu erzeugen. Bei jedem vergifteten Tier wurde die Feinstruktur des Gehirns elektronenmikroskopisch untersucht. Die Befunde waren folgende:
-
1.
Verschmelzung der Membranen zwischen Axonen in den Nervenendigungen sowie zwischen Axonen und Dendriten wurden in der Großhirnrinde, im limbischen System, im Thalamus und Hypothalmus beobachtet; ferner wurde eine sich vom Cytoplasma bis zur Nervenendigung erstreckende Membranstruktur in diesen Hirnbereichen festgestellt.
-
2.
Im Frontal-, Parietal-, Temporal- und Occipitalhirn sowie im limbischen System fanden sich vermehrt membranbegrenzte Vesikel im Cytoplasma der Nervenzellen und verdicktes und vermehrtes ER in den Nervenfasern.
In Anbetracht klinischer Symptome der Patienten mit Amphetaminvergiftung wurde angenommen, daß die Verschmelzung von Membranen zwischen Nervenfortsätzen und das Auftreten der Membranstrukturen in allen Teilen des Nervenzellcytoplasmas vom Perikaryon bis zur Nervenendigung die wichtigsten Befunde sind, die darauf hindeuten, daß die Vergiftungsvorgänge einen wesentlichen Einfluß auf das Leitungssystem der Nerven ausüben können.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bischoff, A.: The ultrastructure of tri-ortho-cresylphosphate poisoning. I. Studies on myelin and axonal alterations in the sciatic nerve. Acta neuropath. (Berl.)9, 158–174 (1967).
Bruni, C., Porter, K. R.: The fine structure of the parenchymal cell of the normal rat liver. Amer. J. Path.46, 691–729 (1965).
Ezoe, T., Kato, N., Nikaido, T.: Histochemical studies on chronic methamphetamine intoxication. Bull. Jap. Neurochem. Soc. Suppl. 50 (1962).
Friend, D. S., Farquhar, M. G.: Functions of coated vesicles during protein absorption in the rat vas deferens. J. Cell Biol.35, 357–376 (1967).
Funatogawa, S.: Methamphetamine-induced changes in behavior of cats and in topographical distribution of brain serotonin. Psychiat. Neurol. jap.66, 743–754 (1964).
Hada, H.: Biochemical studies on addiction due to β-phenyl-isopropyl-methylamine. No. 4: Enzymic studies (Anaerobic glycolysis, monoamine oxidase and cholinesterase). Psychiat. Neurol. jap.60, 1259–1269 (1958).
Hama, K.: Some observation on the fine structure of the giant fibers of the crayfishes (Cambarus virilus and Cambarus clarkü) with special reference to the submicroscopic organization of the synapses. Anat. Rec.141, 275–293 (1961).
Holtzman, E., Novikoff, A. B., Humberto, V.: Lysosomes and Gerl in normal and chromatolytic neurons of the rat ganglion nodosum. J. Cell Biol.33, 419–435 (1957).
Horstmann, E., Meves, H.: Die Feinstruktur des molekularen Rindengraues und ihre physiologische Bedeutung. Z. Zellforsch.49, 569–604 (1959).
Jones, A. L., Fawcett, D. W.: Hypertrophy of the agranular endoplasmic reticulum in hamster liver induced by phenobarbital (with a review of the function of this organelle in liver). J. Histochem. Cytochem.14, 215–232 (1966).
Kobayashi, N.: Tissue metabolism in brain of chronic methamphetamine intoxication. J. Kitakanto-Igaku.9, 693 (1959).
Niklowitz, W.: Electronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen zur Struktur der normalen und kollapsgeschädigten Purkinje-Zelle. Beitr. Path. Anat.127, 424–449 (1962).
Palay, S., McGee-Russel, S., Spencer, G. Jp., Grillo, M. A.: Fixation of neural tissues for electron microscopy by perfusion with solutions of osmium tetroxide. J. Cell Biol.12, 385–410 (1962).
Robertson, J. D.: Structural alterations in nerve fibers produced by hypotonic and hypertonic solutions. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol.4, 349–364 (1958).
—: Factors influencing the width of the gap between of unusual gap width in synapses. Anat. Rec.142, 343–344 (1962).
—, Bodenheimer, J. S., Stage, D. E.: The ultrastructure of Mauthner cell synapse and nodes in goldfish brains. J. Cell Biol.19, 159–199 (1963).
Sumiyoshi, S.: Electron microscopic studies on the viscera of experimental chronic methamphetamine poisoning. Psychiat. Neurol. jap.71, 844–855 (1969).
Takahashi, Y.: Schizophrenia, p. 93. Tokyo: Igaku Shoin 1959.
Tatetsu, S.: The methamphetamine-psychosis. Clin. All-Round.14, 596–599 (1965).
Tatetsu, S.: Langdauernde psychische Störungen infolge chronischen intravenösen Pervitin-Mißbrauches. Excerpta Medica International Congress Series No. 150, pp. 891–894 (1966).
—, Goto, A., Fujiwara, T.: The methamphetamine-psychosis. Tokyo: Igaku Shoin 1965.
—, Takaki, M., Miyakawa, T., Kozuma, Z., Kozuma, Y., Toyonaga, K., Tomonari, H.: A study on the experimental production in the brain of histopathological changes resembling schizophrenia by chronic methamphetamine administration. Psychiat. Neurol. jap.69, 1363–1370 (1967).
Utena, H.: Neurochemical studies on chronic methamphetamine intoxication in animals. Advance Neurol. Sci.8, 495–501 (1964).
—, Ezoe, T., Kato, N.: Biochemical studies on addiction due too-phenyl-isopropyl-methyl-amine. (I) Tissue distribution and excretion of the amine. Psychiat. Neurol. jap.57, 115, 124 (1955).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Miyakawa, T., Sumiyoshi, S., Deshimaru, M. et al. Electron microscopic studies concerning the structural mechanism of the development of mental disturbance in experimental chronic methamphetamine poisoning. Acta Neuropathol 14, 215–225 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00685301
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00685301