A nervous structure in the pineal body of the monkey

✍ Scribed by Paul M. Levin

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1938
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 478 KB
• Volume: 68
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9967
• DOI: 10.1002/cne.900680402

✦ Synopsis

Ti1 a n investigation of the cortico-spinal tract in the rnonkey, berial sections of the brain stern were prepared and stained by Xissl's nidhod. The pineal body, included in a specimen taken from a bonnet monkey, was found to contain numerous well-formed ganglion cells. The pineal body of other monkeys also showed ncrvous elements. Survey of the literature revealed that only Kolmer ( '29) has reported similar findings, i n rhcsus and bonnet monkeys and the baboon. Numerous other studichs of the epiphysis in a wide variety of mammalian spccies have been made; these have yielded occasional findings of ganglion cells, which have generally been consiclered t o be heterotopic (Tilnciy and Warren, '19; Mio-Hortega, '32). 7'he peculiar structure of the pineal body of the monkey has not receivod general recognition and it therefore seems worthwhile to present this histologic report, confirming the work of Kolmer.

P:lcve~i pined 1)odies of monkeys wer(1 examined in serial swfioii, eight of them having been kindly furnished by Drs.

Adolf Bleyer and Curt Y. Richter. Seven specimens were from rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), one from a bonnet monkey (11. ratiiata), two from spider monkeys (Ateles a t e r ? ) and one from a howltli* monkey (Alouatta seniculus ?). Eight * Aided by B grant froin t h e Committee on Scientific Resrarch of the ?\mrrican Medirsl Association.