Age changes of morphometric characteristics of neurons, microglia cells and antioxidant protection enzymes activity in human cortex at the initial stages of postnatal ontogenesis

It was studied age-related changes of pyramidal neurons quantity and size, quantity of microglial cells in comparison with the activity of antioxidant protection enzymes fetus on 2nd half of pregnancy and in the early stages of postnatal ontogenesis (n = 108) in field of 6 human cerebral cortex. It was established parallel between microglia density increase and pyramidal neurons quantity decrease. The dynamics of microglial cells growth and neurons profile fields area are unidirectional. Morphological changes in the frontal cortex occurred on the background increasing of antioxidant protection enzymes activity (enzyme-active ceruloplasmin, catalase). Established facts suggest that the age-related accumulation of microglia on the one side prevents excessive proliferation of neuronal precursors and on the other side, strengthens the antioxidant protection differentiated pyramidal neurons.