EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN 1 83 



contour is unchanged. Rosenbach believed that the nerve cells which appear 

 latest in their embryonic development show the greatest resistance to inanition. 

 Further details in the nerve cell changes were described bv Rosenbach ('84a, 

 '84c). 



Ochotin ('86) studied the changes in the central nervous system in human 

 starvation, also especially in rabbits subjected to various degrees of incom- 

 plete total inanition. The changes in the brain were found similar to those in 

 the spinal cord, which will be described in the next chapter. 



Coen ('90) studied the changes in 3 rabbits and a kitten after death from 

 total inanition or on water only. The cerebral cortex shows notable atrophy 

 of the nerve cells, with extensive pericellular spaces. The cytoplasm is much 

 reduced, but the nuclei remain unchanged. The layer of small pyramidal 

 cells appears most affected; next come the large pyramidal cells. The nerve 

 fibers show fine, glistening granules, and free droplets of myelin occur, but the 

 neuroglia appears normal. No marked vascular changes occur in the cortex 

 or meninges. 



Peri ('93) made a careful study of the nervous system in rabbits, cats and 

 dogs after starvation with loss in body weight up to 45 per cent. He used vari- 

 ous fixatives and stains, including those of Weigert, Marchi, Golgi, etc. The 

 changes, both macroscopic and microscopic, in various regions of the brain and 

 cord were found less marked than those described by previous investigators. 

 Venous stasis, diapedesis and slight edema were noted, but no "steatosis." 

 The. nerve cells usually appear unchanged, a few showing a slight degree of 

 atrophy but never marked degeneration. The silver methods of Golgi reveal 

 nothing abnormal. The changes found in the spinal cord and sciatic nerve 

 will be mentioned later. Recovery of the brain cells in dogs refed after fasting 

 was described by Lubimoff ('94). 



Monti ('95, '95a) obtained more definite changes in the brain cells of fasting 

 rabbits, using the osmic-bichromate and Golgi methods. Some cells remain 

 normal, but others show a "varicose atrophy" with degenerative changes begin- 

 ning peripherally on the dendrites and extending toward the cell body. This 

 may finally become involved, but the axone and nerve fiber are not injured. 

 The number of cells affected and the extent of the degeneration vary greatly 

 in different regions. In the cerebellum, the Purkinje cells are more resistant 

 than the small cells of the molecular layer. 



Bich ('95), in a study of the retinal changes in starved dogs, noted that the 

 meninges appear normal; the brain substance anemic and always edematous. 



Ganfini ('97), using the Nissl method, found no appreciable change in the 

 brain cells of fasting rabbits, aside from slight decrease in staining ability. The 

 changes in the spinal cord will be mentioned later. 



Lugaro and Chiozzi ('97) used both Nissl and Golgi methods on the brain and 

 cord of fasting dogs and rabbits. In general, changes appear in the nerve cells 

 only in the later stages of inanition, and vary greatly in the site and the intensity 

 of the lesions. The spinal ganglion, Purkinje and cerebral cortical cells are 

 among the first affected, the anterior horn cells being the most resistant. The 

 Nissl substance in the affected cells gradually undergoes chromatolysis, but 



