Analysis of 8000-year-old brain tissue from the Windover site * 65 



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Figure 6: Histological comparison of contemporary brain (left) with ancient female brain (ri^ht). A. Sections of cerebral cortex 

 visualized with silver axon stain (Luna, 1968). Surface of each brain at top. Small amount of peat visible on surface of ancient 

 brain. Division between gray and white matter indicated on ancient brain section. At same magnification, section of modem 

 brain shows only gray matter, due to general tissue shrinkage suffered by ancient brain. Vertical axonal fibers visible in gray 

 matter of both sections. Small darkly staining particles in ancient brain probably represent remains of neurones. (Seiver-Munger 

 stain, X 100). B. Sections of cerebellum stained with hematoxylin and eosin (Luna 1968). Correlation of contemporary and 

 ancient molecular layers (A/). Purkinjc cell layers (P). and inner granular layers (1) indicated on right. Clear areas in center of 

 most Purkinje cells in ancient cerebellum are probably residual nuclei (contemporary section, x250; ancient section, x4(K)). 

 C. Section of pons stained with Luxol fast blue for myelin (Luna 1968). Cross-sectional views of cortical spinal tracts and 

 longitudinal sections of pontocerebellar tracts clearly evident in both (contemporary section, x 100; ancient section, x2(X)). 



Zagrtb Paleopathology Symp. 1988 



