Normative Volume Development of the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract

Abstract

Abundant research has shown that in most neural systems, mature synaptic relationships are fine-tuned during development. One correlate of such fine tuning is changes in axon termination patterns. Our lab has previously reported major, postnatal changes in axon terminal fields of the three major taste nerves that project information from taste cells in the oral cavity to the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST). To understand the relative magnitude of those changes within the NST, we explored postnatal development of the nucleus in brain sections from hamsters aged between 8-209 days. The data from reconstructed NST was compiled to estimate volumes for each animal, and the mean volumes for each age group were computed.