Subthalamic nucleus volumes are highly consistent but decrease age‐dependently—a combined magnetic resonance imaging and stereology approach in humans

The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is a main target structure of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Nevertheless, there is an ongoing discussion regarding human STN volumes and neuron count, which could potentially have an impact on STN‐DBS. Moreover, a suspected functional subdivision forms the basis of the tripartite hypothesis, which has not yet been morphologically substantiated. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the human STN by means of combined magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and stereology. STN volumes were obtained from 14 individuals (ranging from 65 to 96 years, 25 hemispheres) in 3 T MRI and in luxol‐stained histology slices. Neuron number and cell densities were investigated stereologically over the entire STN and in pre‐defined subregions in anti‐human neuronal protein HuC/D‐stained slices. STN volumes measured with MRI were smaller than in stereology but appeared to be highly consistent, measuring on average 99 ± 6 mm3 (MRI) and 132 ± 20 mm3 (stereology). The neuron count was 431,088 ± 72,172. Both STN volumes and cell count decreased age‐dependently. Neuron density was different for the dorsal, medial and ventral subregion with significantly higher values ventrally than dorsally. Small variations in STN volumes in both MRI and stereology contradict previous findings of large variations in STN size. Age‐dependent decreases in STN volumes and neuron numbers might influence the efficacy of STN‐DBS in a geriatric population. Though the study is limited in sample size, site‐dependent differences for the STN subregions form a morphological basis for the tripartite theory. Hum Brain Mapp 38:909–922, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.