Morphology of hypothalamic nuclei under the influence of monosodium glutamate and following its withdrawal: an experimental study

Relevance. The relevance of studying the effects of monosodium glutamate on hypothalamic neurons is due to its widespread use in the modern food industry and its potential impact on the regulation center of appetite and energy balance. Since glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, its excessive consumption may contribute to disturbances in neuroendocrine regulation, particularly in the hypothalamus, which is crucial for the development of obesity and related metabolic and hormonal disorders. Objective. To study the features of the structural organization of the hypothalamic nuclei under the influence of monosodium glutamate and its withdrawal in the experiment. Methods. Histological, morphometric, electron-microscopic, and statistical methods were used. Results. Changes in morphometric parameters of pyramidal and oval neurons were observed: increased cross-sectional and longitudinal diameters of perikarya and nuclei, as well as their volume. At the ultrastructural level, increased eosinophilia of the neuroplasma, vacuolization of the endoplasmic reticulum, reduction of mitochondrial cristae, increased number of lysosomes, and appearance of eosinophilic lipofuscin granules were noted. Conclusion. The results indicate that long-term administration of monosodium glutamate causes pronounced morphological changes in the hypothalamic nuclei, which persist even after its withdrawal.