Background: Aging is a phenomenon that presents various alterations in neurochemical,
behavioral and physiological processes.
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of aging on the histology of the duodenum
of male albino rats.
Materials and methods: thirty male albino rats will be divided into three groups according their
age. Group A: Ten male albino rats (adult aged) at the age of 4 months. Group B: Ten albino rats
(middle aged) at the age of 8months. Group C: Ten albino rats (old aged) at the age of 18
months. At the end of the experimental period, the animals were anaesthetized, then the
duodenum was dissected out and specimens were processed for histological examination.
Results: At the age of 4 months shrinkage in the core of the villus was recorded in the
duodenum of rats. While deterioration in submucosal layer and deterioration in muscularis layer
were seen in rats aged 8 months, in addition to congestion in mucosa. Many histological changes
were observed in rats aged 18 months beginning from congestin in submucosa and detorioraion
of muscle fibers in muscularis reaching congestion in mucosa and inflammation in crypts region
and ending with necrosis in crypts and villi.
Conclusion: From the present study it is concluded that, as age advances in male rats, a
significant histological change involved the duodenum and at age 18 months the histological
changes were more and obvious.