Age-Associated Changes in Sympathetic Neurons Containing Neurofilament 200 kDa during Chemical Deafferentation

Neurofilament with a molecular weight of 200 kDa is detected in the rat sympathetic ganglia since birth. The percentage of neurons containing this neurofilament decreases during the first 20 days of life. Just solitary neurofilament-positive neurons are detected in rats at the age of 180 and 360 days. Chemical deafferentation by capsaicin, used as a model of age-associated neuron degeneration, leads to a significant reduction of the level of neurofilament-200-imminopositive neurons in comparison with the control starting from day 10 of life. Presumably, part of the sympathetic ganglionic neurons are capsaicin-positive and their function is afferent.