Plastination and Staining of Brain Slices Using Two Different Dehydration Methods

Introduction: Unstained formalin-fixed whole brain specimens and brain slices do not give satisfactory results for teaching neuroanatomy. In addition, difficulties in obtaining human brains for dissection have increased the demand for more durable brain specimens that have been obtained by the plastination technique. In the present study brain specimens were sliced, fixed and stained using the Mulligan method. Materials and Methods: Plastination was performed after two dehydration methods: standard and stepwise. We measured and compared color fading and shrinkage of the specimens between both methods. Result: There was no color change after dehydration in both methods. Conclusion: According to the results, stained plastinates that have been dehydrated by the stepwise method are suitable for teaching neuroanatomy.