Soma size of substantia nigra neurons increases after a prenatal neocortical lesion in cats.

Abstract Seeking an explanation for an increase in volume of the caudate nucleus in adult cats that had sustained a fetal unilateral neocortical lesion, we investigated possible morphological changes in the reciprocally interconnected substantia nigra. In fetal-lesioned cats the cross-sectional area of neuronal somata in substantia nigra, pars reticulata was 33% larger than in control cats ( P P