NERVE-CELL LOSS IN THE MYENTERIC PLEXUS OF THE HUMAN ESOPHAGUS IN RELATION TO AGE - A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION

Morphometric measurements have been carried out on the human myenteric esophageal neurons at the ages of 20-40 and more than 70 years. The n umber of neurons decreases after 70 years of age, which is accompanied by an increase in the sizes of the neurons, In percentage terms the d ecrease in the number of neurons in the aged varied from 22 to 62% alo ng the esophagus being most pronounced in its superior third at the ju nction with the pharynx.