TABLE 3.
Mean Estimated Neuron Number in All Reference Spaces With Relation to Age
| Area | Neurons | SD | n | CE | r (age) | P (age) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MALE | ||||||
| SCN | 11,854 | 3,032 | 19 | 0.04 | –0.16 | 0.521 |
| SON | 45,732 | 12,402 | 22 | 0.06 | 0.40 | 0.065 |
| PVN | 111,018* | 27,098 | 21 | 0.06 | 0.58 | 0.006* |
| VM | 174,964 | 35,493 | 21 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.843 |
| DM | 71,481 | 21,642 | 21 | 0.06 | 0.32 | 0.164 |
| MMN | 110,058 | 28,393 | 21 | 0.07 | –0.08 | 0.743 |
| LHA | 498,487 | 64,275 | 23 | 0.08 | –0.11 | 0.614 |
| Remainder | 2,064,296 | 475,146 | 21 | 0.06 | 0.01 | 0.983 |
| Total unilateral hypothalamus | 3,044,802 | 547,852 | 17 | 0.06 | 0.09 | 0.723 |
| FEMALE | ||||||
| SCN | 12,435 | 5,207 | 17 | 0.05 | –0.46 | 0.061 |
| SON | 41,835 | 7,995 | 18 | 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.991 |
| PVN | 117,755 | 24,045 | 18 | 0.05 | –0.04 | 0.872 |
| VM | 181,762 | 35,774 | 18 | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.816 |
| DM | 60,879 | 12,747 | 18 | 0.07 | –0.15 | 0.553 |
| MMN | 99,964 | 23,131 | 16 | 0.07 | –0.03 | 0.912 |
| LHA | 519,841 | 75,209 | 17 | 0.08 | 0.01 | 0.958 |
| Remainder | 2,125,898 | 321,289 | 17 | 0.05 | 0.24 | 0.360 |
| Total unilateral hypothalamus | 3,142,319 | 410,162 | 16 | 0.06 | 0.20 | 0.442 |
The male paraventricular nucleus (PVN) was the only area to display an age-related change in neuron number.
*
P < 0.05; SD: standard deviation; CE: coefficient of error for neuron estimate; n: number of subjects; r: value of Pearson's Product-Moment Correlation; P: corresponding P value; SCN: suprachiasmatic nucleus; SON; supraoptic nucleus; VM: ventromedial nucleus; DM: dorsomedial nucleus; MMN: medial mammillary nucleus; LHA: lateral hypothalamic area.