M Gearing1, M Lynn, S S Mirra. 1. Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: While NFT frequency is reportedly reduced in AD+DLB, we often encounter abundant neocortical NFTs in such cases and decided to investigate this discrepancy. OBJECTIVE: To compare neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) frequency in Alzheimer disease with concomitant dementia with Lewy bodies (AD+DLB) with NFT frequency in "pure" AD. METHODS: Neurofibrillary tangle frequency, as well as regional staging of neurofibrillary degeneration modified from Braak, was scored in 160 autopsy cases of primary dementia (80 AD+DLB cases and 80 pure AD cases). RESULTS: Neurofibrillary tangle and modified Braak scores were lower in AD+DLB, as reported previously. Yet, neocortical NFT scores assumed markedly different patterns in the 2 groups (P = .001). In pure AD, NFT scores of "frequent" were predominant: more cases exhibited frequent than moderate or sparse NFTs. In AD+DLB, the distribution of NFT scores was bimodal: NFTs were either frequent or few to absent. Neocortical NFT scores in the AD+DLB group tended to parallel the severity of other types of tau cytopathology (neuropil threads and tau-positive plaque neurites). CONCLUSIONS: Cases of AD+DLB may be divided into 2 subgroups based on the extent of neocortical neurofibrillary pathology. These findings could have implications for disease pathogenesis and treatment.
BACKGROUND: While NFT frequency is reportedly reduced in AD+DLB, we often encounter abundant neocortical NFTs in such cases and decided to investigate this discrepancy. OBJECTIVE: To compare neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) frequency in Alzheimer disease with concomitant dementia with Lewy bodies (AD+DLB) with NFT frequency in "pure" AD. METHODS: Neurofibrillary tangle frequency, as well as regional staging of neurofibrillary degeneration modified from Braak, was scored in 160 autopsy cases of primary dementia (80 AD+DLB cases and 80 pure AD cases). RESULTS: Neurofibrillary tangle and modified Braak scores were lower in AD+DLB, as reported previously. Yet, neocortical NFT scores assumed markedly different patterns in the 2 groups (P = .001). In pure AD, NFT scores of "frequent" were predominant: more cases exhibited frequent than moderate or sparse NFTs. In AD+DLB, the distribution of NFT scores was bimodal: NFTs were either frequent or few to absent. Neocortical NFT scores in the AD+DLB group tended to parallel the severity of other types of tau cytopathology (neuropil threads and tau-positive plaque neurites). CONCLUSIONS: Cases of AD+DLB may be divided into 2 subgroups based on the extent of neocortical neurofibrillary pathology. These findings could have implications for disease pathogenesis and treatment.
Authors: Jing L Guo; Dustin J Covell; Joshua P Daniels; Michiyo Iba; Anna Stieber; Bin Zhang; Dawn M Riddle; Linda K Kwong; Yan Xu; John Q Trojanowski; Virginia M Y Lee Journal: Cell Date: 2013-07-03 Impact factor: 41.582
Authors: Tanis J Ferman; Naoya Aoki; Julia E Crook; Melissa E Murray; Neill R Graff-Radford; Jay A van Gerpen; Ryan J Uitti; Zbigniew K Wszolek; Jonathan Graff-Radford; Otto Pedraza; Kejal Kantarci; Bradley F Boeve; Dennis W Dickson Journal: Alzheimers Dement Date: 2017-10-31 Impact factor: 21.566