A Stereotaxic Atlas of the Grey Lesser Mouse Lemur Brainbrain Research Reviews

The discovery of age-related changes in the Microcebus murinus, brain rendered the compilation an an atlas essential. Recent results obtained concerning the evolution of the brain structures and cellular elements during the life of this prosimian have shown numerous similarities to the ageing human brain. The nature of these led to the conclusion that the species could constitute a valuable tool for fundamental and experimental studies into human cerebral ageing and neurodegenerative diseases, particularly those of the Alzheimer type. The importance of this lies in the fact that, currently, no model of human cerebral ageing, related to associated disability or not, exists. Clearly there is a great need for investigations into Microcebus murinus in numerous domains. Some are being undertaken by various international scientific teams but substantial areas of great interest remain so far untouched. The likelihood of Microcebus murinus becoming a model for human brain studies and therapy, means that use of the animal will expand widely in cerebral research, in physiological, clinical and pharmacological experiments, psychological studies, etc.
In this context a stereotaxic atlas of its brain must be considered essential. It provides a tool to locate modified brain structures and lesions, to evaluate the activity of the different cerebral areas by imaging, to record the electric activity of single neurons, nuclei and fibres and to correlate functions and structures involved in behavioural changes related to age or neurodegenerative pathologies. The introduction of this work is devoted to the characteristics of the animal and to the major results concerning changes in the brain accompanying aging and degenerative diseases; this is supported by about fifty references. The stereotaxic and histological methods used are described and followed by an index of the 239 cerebral structures cited and the abbreviations used. The atlas proper corresponds to the whole Microcebus brain and consists of 82 photographed plates and, facing them, 82 accompanying diagrams where the delineated structures are drawn, showing the section co-ordinates. Twenty-eight plates represent all nuclei and tracts located in the sagittal plane with an inter plate distance of 200im.
The 54 frontal sections are at intervals of 500im;a small insert contains a sagittal section showing the level of the frontal section drawn.