LIPOFUSCIN ACCUMULATION IN NEURONS WITH RESTRAINT STRESS

Stress induced lipofuscinosis was studied in rat cerebellum. 3 month o ld wistar rats were subjected to restraint stress by keeping them immo bile for 24, 48 and 72 hours duration. This was achieved in specially prepared cages which allowed no space for the rats to move; giving a s tress to the animal. The cerebella from the stressed groups rats were removed after the experiment and were processed for fluorescent micros copical, histochemical and fluorimetric study of lipofuscin. The lipof uscin content in the Purkinje neurons was compared with that of the co ntrol rats which were of the same age, size and weight as of the exper imental rats. The results showed that the lipofuscin content in the ne urons of the experimental rats was more than that of the control ones. In gist, while 24 hrs. stress caused a 28.9% increase in lipofuscin c ontent, 48 hrs. stress resulted in a 38.3% increase. This shows that r estraint stress can be a good experimental model for lipofuscinogenesi s and ageing studies.