STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN THE PINEAL GLAND IN THE CASES OF FIBROSING OF ITS CAPSULE

© V. Dokov, W.Dokov*

Adres for correspondence: Dokov@seznam.cz

V. Dokov, Dept. of General and Clinical Pathology, Prof. P. Stoyanov

Medical University of Varna, 55 Marin Drinov St. BG-9002 Varna,

BULGARIA

Department of General and Clinical Pathology, 

*Department of Forensic medicine, Prof. Paraskiev Stoyanov Medical University of Varna

The capsule and the coming off it trabeculae are an active element in the pineal gland structure. In order to achieve this aim we defined the percentage of cases with and without TFC by sex, by macroscopic criteria (length, width, weight, density) and by main hystological structures (availability of acervulus, gliosis, not tumor cysts, and way of forming of pseudolobs from the trabeculae elments).We studied 134 pineal glands of deceased that underwent an autopsy. 95 of these were men and 39 women with mean age 52,57 years.Slices of 5m stained Hematoxilin & Eosin and Van Gieson. Usual statistical methods were used for the analysis. Conclusions Cases with TFC represent 43,08% of all studied pineal glands. There is no statistically significant difference in the percentage of cases with TFC between the groups of those who died at 20-39 and 40 and above. There is no statistically significant difference in the percentage of cases with TFC among men and women. The length width and weight of pineal glands with fibrose capsulae are bigger. Density is not changed. The persentage with gliosis is higher in the group of pineal glands with gentle capsulae. The rest of the variables are without changes.

The capsule of pineal glands consists of flat cells without well defined shape (Krstic 1979). A lot of connective tissue septums including blood vessels and nerves come off it (Bhaskar et al 1986 Dominguez åt al 1987), enclosing the gland parenchim in the form of well or partially defined pseudolobs. The capsule and the septums richly inervated. A peptidergic inervation is prooved. CGRP(calcitonin gene-related peptide ), SP(substance P), or VIP(vasoactive intestinal polypeptide )- immune reactive fibres pass through the capsulå, the septums and end in the gland parenchim (Matsushima et al 1999, Moller åt al1999). A opioidergic inervation is also described (Phansuwan-Pujito et al 1998) as well as plenty NPY (neuropeptide Y) positive sympathetic nerve fibres (Przybylska-Gornowicz et al 1997). Well expressed NADPH –diaphorasic activity is find around nerve fibres and the endothelial cells of the capsule vessels (Lewczuk et al 2001 ). The capsule and the coming off it trabeculae are an active element in the pineal gland structure.

In our section material we find that in some of the pineal glands its capsule is thicker and with fibrosis – thick and fibrose capsule (TFC). The above presented literature review and our observations made us to undertake with the present study with the aim to find out the role of the thicker capsule with fibrose changes on the macroscopic characteristics and the main hystological structures of the human pineal gland. In order to achieve this aim we defined the percentage of cases with and without TFC by sex, by macroscopic criteria (length, width, weight, density) and by main hystological structures (availability of acervulus, gliosis, not tumor cysts, and way of forming of pseudolobs from the trabeculae elments).

Ìàterials and methods

We studied 134 pineal glands of deceased that underwent an autopsy in the department of general and clinical pathology and the department of forensic medicine and deontology in the Medical university of Varna in the period September 2002 – March 2003. 95 of these were men and 39 women with mean age 52,57 (20 - 95) years. Macroscopic observations were made before fixation of the material. After fixation in 10% solution of neutral formaldehid slices of 5m were cut from parafin blocks and stained Hematoxilin & Eosin, Azan and Van Gieson. Usual statistical methods were used for the analysis.

In 53(43,08% ) of the total 123 pineal glands hystologically studied we observed thick and fibrose capsulae.

The pineal glands with TFC we separated in two groups. In the first group weer included glands taken from people who died in the age range 20-39 years, and in the second group those taken from people who died at 40 and above.(Table1)
There is no ssignificant difference in the percentage of cases in the two groups.

The status of the capsulae was studied in relation to sex . (Table 2) There was no difference in the percentage of cases with TFC among men and women.

In the hystological study of the pineal gland in relation to the four variables of interest in three of the four characteristics there was no statistically significant difference. Gliosis of the pineal glands were more seldom observed in the group with TFC as compared to the group without changes in their capsulae. This difference is statistically significant (Table3).

Considerablle differences we registered during the macroscopic observations and measurments. The length, width and weight of the pineal glands with TFC are significantly higher as compared with the glands without changes in their capsulae. There was no difference among the two groups only in relation to density. (Table 4)

In experimental animals an increased production of collagen is registered with age and it is related with deposition of acervulus in the pineal glands’ capsulae. (Johnson 1980, Boya & Calvo 1984, Humbert åt al 1997)

The observations of ours and foreign authors(Gusek 1983 Hasegawa et al 1987) on pineal glands do not find differences in relation to sex and age. This can be a result of species specificity or some other reasons not studied up to that moment.

1. Cases with TFC represent 43,08% of all studied pineal glands.

2. There is no statistically significant difference in the percentage of cases with TFC between the groups of those who died at 20-39 and 40 and above. TFC is not related to aging.

3. There is no statistically significant difference in the percentage of cases with TFC among men and women. TFC is not related to sex.

4. The length width and weight of pineal glands with fibrose capsulae are bigger. Density is not changed. The persentage with gliosis is higher in the group of pineal glands with gentle capsulae. The rest of the variables are without changes.

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