Potential adult neurogenesis in the telencephalon and cerebellar cortex of the Nile crocodile revealed with doublecortin immunohistochemistry.

The brain of the crocodile is known to gain in mass allometrically throughout life, and the addition of neurons (as well as non-neurons) appears to play a significant role in this increasing brain mass. We used immunohistochemistry in the brains of 12 Nile crocodiles ranging between 350 g and 86 kg in body mass and 1.99 g to 7.9 g in brain mass to identify the regions of the brain in which neurons immunopositive for doublecortin (DCX), a marker for potential adult neurogenesis, are found. Similar to other reptiles, potential newly born neurons, those immunopositive for DCX, were found throughout the telencephalon, the main and accessory olfactory bulbs and the olfactory tract, and in the cerebellar cortex; however, no DCX immunopositive neurons were observed in the diencephalon or brainstem. An apparent moderate decrease in the density of DCX labeled neurons in the olfactory bulbs and tract as well as the cerebellar cortex was observed with increasing brain mass, but the observed qualitative density of labeled neurons within the telencephalon was maintained irrespective of brain mass. Three potential neurogenic zones, within the sulci of the lateral ventricle, were identified, and these are similar to those seen in other reptiles. This study indicates that at least part of the gain in brain mass with age in the Nile crocodile may be accounted for by the potential addition and integration of new neurons into the existing circuitry, especially so for the olfactory system, telencephalon and cerebellar cortex. Anat Rec, 301:659-672, 2018. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.