Morphometric indices of pontine neurones in control and SCA1 cases
| SCA1 (n=7) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Index | Controls (n=5) | Total | NI+ | NI− |
| Values are expressed as mean (SD). | ||||
| *p < 0.0001 v control group (Student’s t test). | ||||
| **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.0001 v control group; ¶p ⩽ 0.0001 v NI+ group; †p < 0.01 v NI+ group (ANOVA, PLSD of Fisher at 1% probability). | ||||
| ANOVA, analysis of variance; NI+, neurones with nuclear aggregates from SCA1 cases; NI−, neurones without nuclear aggregates from SCA1 cases, PLSD, protected least significant difference; SCA1, spinocerebellar ataxia type 1; total, all neurones from SCA1 cases. | ||||
| Number of neurones | 801 | 587 | 157 | 430 |
| Nuclear area (μm2) | 90.5 (19.8) | 81.4 (21.8)* | 87.2 (24.4) | 79.2 (20.4)***¶ |
| [Nuclear area minus nuclear inclusion area] | 78.0 (21.4)* | 74.5 (23.6)*** | 79.2 (20.4)*** | |
| Perimeter (μm) | 36.3 (4.0) | 34.4 (4.5)* | 35.8 (4.9) | 34.0 (4.3)***¶ |
| Long axis (μm) | 12.00 (1.48) | 11.77 (1.72) | 12.09 (1.71) | 11.65 (1.71)**† |
| Short axis (μm) | 9.54 (1.25) | 8.71 (1.48)* | 9.06 (1.69)*** | 8.58 (1.37)***¶ |
| Long axis/short axis ratio | 1.27 (0.18) | 1.38 (0.25)* | 1.37 (0.25)*** | 1.38 (0.25)*** |
| Circularity index | 1.085 (0.037) | 1.088 (0.040) | 1.095 (0.048)** | 1.086 (0.037) |