目的:观察并定量分析大鼠背侧丘脑的微血管构筑及衰老变化。方法:采用单宁酸-氯化铁媒染微血管的方法,观察大鼠背侧丘脑的微血管构筑,并采用Mi Vnt图像分析系统对大鼠背侧丘脑的微血管密度(microvessel density,MVD)及微血管面积密度(microvessel area density,MVA)进行定量分析。结果:老龄大鼠进入背侧丘脑的微血管数量明显减少,分布杂乱扭曲缠结。老龄鼠丘脑的MVD(0.085±0.075)值及MVA(10.21±0.72)值均明显低于青龄鼠的MVD(0.105±0.006)值及MVA(12.13±0.78)值(P<0.01)结论:老龄大鼠背侧丘脑的微血管密度(MVD)及微血管面积密度(MVA)较青龄大鼠明显降低,我们认为这是老年丘脑性痴呆发生机制的主要形态学依据。 OBJECTIVE: To observe and quantitatively analyze the microvascular architecture and senescence in the dorsal thalamus in rats. Methods: The capillaries of the dorsal thalamus were observed by the method of tannic acid-ferric chloride staining microvessels. Mi Vnt image analysis system was used to evaluate the microvessel density (MVD) and microvessel area Density (microvessel area density, MVA) quantitative analysis. Results: The number of microvessels in the dorsal thalamus of aged rats was significantly reduced, and the distribution was disorderly and tangled. MVD (0.085 ± 0.075) and MVA (10.21 ± 0.72) of thalamus in aged rats were significantly lower than those in young rats (0.105 ± 0.006) and MVA (12.13 ± 0.78), respectively (P <0.01) Microvessel density (MVD) and microvessel area density (MVA) in the dorsal thalamus of rats were significantly lower than those in the young rats, which we think are the main morphological evidences of the pathogenesis of thalamic dementia.