Computer-assisted reconstruction of Golgi stained pyramidal neurons in layer II-III of frontal cortex in sham (left) and 192IgG-saporin-lesioned (right) young adult (top), middle-aged (middle), and aged (bottom) rats. Scale bar = 100 mm. Right. Mean basilar branch number (top) and length (bottom) ipsilateral to sham and 192-IgG-saporin lesions of the NBM in young adult, middle-aged and aged rats. Vertical bars represent S.E.M. values; asterisks (*) indicate significant difference relative to sham-lesioned, age-matched rats. Lesions did not significantly alter the number or length of basilar branches in young adult rats, but resulted in significant atrophy of basilar branches in middle-aged and aged rats.

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