Histochemical and morphometrical ageing changes in human vocal cord muscles.

A histochemical and morphometrical study of thyroarytenoid and posterior cricoarytenoid human muscles was done in 43 human adults (38 males, 5 females) with ages ranging from 46 to 87 years. Vocal cord muscles were taken from laryngectomy specimens with carcinoma (25) and from autopsies (18), excluding those with neuromuscular diseases. In all cases the studied vocal cords were clinically and histologically normal in appearance. Only 2 patients received radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Posterior cricoarytenoid muscle was studied in 6 patients with larynx cancer. Mean diameter of thyroarytenoid muscle type I fibers (n = 128) was 38.46 microns and for type II 39.68 microns; fiber percentage values (n = 127) were 44.16% for type I and 55.84% for type II. Mean diameter (n = 6) of posterior cricoarytenoid muscle type I fibers was 42.69 microns and of type II 46.56 microns; type I fibers percentage was 66.15% and type II 33.85%. Statistical regression analysis revealed a progressive decrease in thickness of the mucosa and lamina propria in the right vocal cord along the ageing process. A low increase of endomysial tissue with a low decrease in perimysium in both vocal cords was noticed. In thyroarytenoid muscle, a low increase in type I fiber percentage and a decrease in type II fiber percentage were found. Posterior cricoarytenoid muscle showed a significant decrease in type I fiber percentage and diameter, corresponding to the same increase in variables of type II fibers.

[1]  M. Brooke,et al.  Muscle fiber types: how many and what kind? , 1970, Archives of neurology.

[2]  H. Tauchi,et al.  Age changes in human vocal muscle , 1982, Mechanisms of Ageing and Development.

[3]  H. A. Dahl,et al.  Actomyosin ATPase activity of human laryngeal muscles. , 1978, Acta oto-laryngologica.

[4]  M. Zrunek,et al.  Comparative histochemistry of human and sheep laryngeal muscles. , 1989, Acta oto-laryngologica.

[5]  R. Dum,et al.  Histochemical Study of Posterior Cricoarytenoid Muscle Reinnervation by a Nerve-Muscle Pedicle in the Cat , 1987, The Annals of otology, rhinology, and laryngology.

[6]  M. Hirano,et al.  Ageing of the vibratory tissue of human vocal folds. , 1989, Acta oto-laryngologica.

[7]  N. Rascio,et al.  Development and aging of leaf etioplasts in maize cultured with and without sucrose , 1988 .

[8]  M. Brooke,et al.  SOME COMMENTS ON THE HISTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF MUSCLE ADENOSINE TRIPHOSPHATASE , 1969, The journal of histochemistry and cytochemistry : official journal of the Histochemistry Society.

[9]  M. Sjöström,et al.  What is the cause of the ageing atrophy? Total number, size and proportion of different fiber types studied in whole vastus lateralis muscle from 15- to 83-year-old men , 1988, Journal of the Neurological Sciences.

[10]  H. A. Dahl,et al.  The histochemistry of the posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) muscle in the dog, compared with the diaphragm, the sternothyroid and the sternomastoid muscle. , 1985, Acta oto-laryngologica.

[11]  B. Patten,et al.  Morphologic and histochemical characteristics of laryngeal muscle. , 1982, Archives of otolaryngology.

[12]  J Lexell,et al.  Distribution of different fiber types in human skeletal muscles: Effects of aging studied in whole muscle cross sections , 1983, Muscle & nerve.

[13]  M. Johnson,et al.  Data on the distribution of fibre types in thirty-six human muscles. An autopsy study. , 1973, Journal of the neurological sciences.

[14]  D. Levine,et al.  Physiological types and histochemical profiles in motor units of the cat gastrocnemius , 1973, The Journal of physiology.

[15]  B. Tomlinson,et al.  Data on the distribution of fibre types in five human limb muscles. An autopsy study. , 1971, Journal of the neurological sciences.

[16]  V. Sahgal,et al.  Histochemistry of primate laryngeal muscles. , 1974, Acta oto-laryngologica.

[17]  W. Engel,et al.  The histographic analysis of human muscle biopsies with regard to fiber types , 1969, Neurology.

[18]  J. Fridén,et al.  How to calculate human muscle fibre areas in biopsy samples--methodological considerations. , 1984, Acta physiologica Scandinavica.

[19]  V. Sahgal,et al.  Effects of denervation on laryngeal muscles: A canine model , 1992, The Laryngoscope.

[20]  John C. Young,et al.  Skeletal muscle atrophy in old rats: Differential changes in the three fiber types , 1991, Mechanisms of Ageing and Development.

[21]  L. Malmgren,et al.  Histochemical Characteristics of Muscle Fiber Types in the Posterior Cricoarytenoid Muscle , 1981, The Annals of otology, rhinology, and laryngology.