Lipofuscin accumulates in ganglionic neurons in chronic equine dysautonomia.

The research studies the accumulation of a complex compound called lipofuscin in the neurons of horses suffering from equine dysautonomia, a nerve disorder. It found that lipofuscin tends to increase with the duration of this disease, which could be a potential cause or consequences of neuronal degeneration.

Objective of the Study

• The main aim of the study was to investigate if the presence of lipofuscin, a compound that accumulates in neurons, increases with the duration of equine dysautonomia, which is a polyneuropathy that affects primarily the autonomic and enteric nervous systems of horses.

Methodology

• The research team examined the presence of lipofuscin in the cranial cervical ganglia of horses with acute, subacute, and chronic stages of equine dysautonomia. Also, young control horses of similar age and older control horses were included for comparison.
• A special stain called Schmorl stain was used to identify lipofuscin during histological examinations, and image analysis software was employed to measure its accumulation in neurons.

Study Findings

• The percentage of neurons containing lipofuscin increased with age in all groups of horses. Fewer neurons had lipofuscin in horses with acute and subacute stages of the disease compared to older control horses.
• In contrast, horses with chronic equine dysautonomia showed more neurons with lipofuscin than in acute cases and young control horses.
• A strong positive correlation was found between the number of neurons containing lipofuscin and the area of the neuron filled with lipofuscin when all groups were combined.

Conclusion

• The research showed that neuronal lipofuscin does increase in the cranial cervical ganglion in horses with chronic stage equine dysautonomia compared to acute cases and young control horses. However, the study leaves an open question about whether this accumulation is a cause or a result of the neuronal decay observed in the disorder.