Quantitative Pathology of Canine Cortico-Cerebellar Degeneration

The aim of this work was to document the value of morphometric analysis in quantifying neuronal loss in canine cerebellar degenerative disease. Measurements of the cerebellar cell populations in a dog affected by severe cortico-cerebellar degeneration (CCD) were compared with those of an age-matched control dog. Histological stainings (hematoxylin-eosin, thionin, Bielschowsky) were performed; the granule cell density and Purkinje cell linear density were quantified. GFAP immunohistochemistry was run to quantify the stained area. Morphometric analysis in the pathologic dog showed a significant decrease of Purkinje cell linear density (4.50/mm), granule cells density (81.34/10000 µm2) and an increase of GFAP stained area (40.28%) in comparison to the age-matched dog (Purkinje cell linear density=12.74/mm, granule cell neuron density=95.53/10000 µm2 and GFAP stained area=34.68%). The use of morphometric techniques is suggested in order to enable comparison between results obtained from different laboratories of pathology.