J Wohlschlaeger1, E Wenger, P Mehraein, S Weis. 1. Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The HIV-1 associated cognitive/motor complex is characterized by cognitive, motor and behavioral disturbances. Besides a significant loss of neurons in the cerebral cortex and subcortical nuclei, a possible morphological substrate of this complex is also given by changes of the white matter as seen in HIV-1 leucoencephalopathy (HIVL), which is characterized by widespread diffuse pallor of myelin and the presence of gliomesenchymal nodules with multinucleated giant cells. METHODS: The corpus callosum as a sensitive marker for damage of the cerebral white matter was investigated by morphometry both at the macroscopic and electronmicroscopic level. RESULTS: In HIV-1 infected brains, a significant decrease of the profile area of the whole corpus callosum as well as of its different parts was noted. The absolute number of nerve fibers was significantly decreased, in particular in the frontal and occipital parts of the corpus callosum. Moreover, several morphometric parameters for nerve fibers, axons and myelin sheaths indicate in some areas a reduction of nerve fibers and axons, as well as a diminished myelin sheath thickness, whereas, in other regions, swelling of axons and myelin sheaths was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The observed changes are considered to represent subtle changes affecting nerve fibers before histological evidence of HIVL, and might represent one aspect of the morphological substrates preceeding the development of the HIV-1 related cognitive/motor complex.
OBJECTIVE: The HIV-1 associated cognitive/motor complex is characterized by cognitive, motor and behavioral disturbances. Besides a significant loss of neurons in the cerebral cortex and subcortical nuclei, a possible morphological substrate of this complex is also given by changes of the white matter as seen in HIV-1 leucoencephalopathy (HIVL), which is characterized by widespread diffuse pallor of myelin and the presence of gliomesenchymal nodules with multinucleated giant cells. METHODS: The corpus callosum as a sensitive marker for damage of the cerebral white matter was investigated by morphometry both at the macroscopic and electronmicroscopic level. RESULTS: In HIV-1 infected brains, a significant decrease of the profile area of the whole corpus callosum as well as of its different parts was noted. The absolute number of nerve fibers was significantly decreased, in particular in the frontal and occipital parts of the corpus callosum. Moreover, several morphometric parameters for nerve fibers, axons and myelin sheaths indicate in some areas a reduction of nerve fibers and axons, as well as a diminished myelin sheath thickness, whereas, in other regions, swelling of axons and myelin sheaths was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The observed changes are considered to represent subtle changes affecting nerve fibers before histological evidence of HIVL, and might represent one aspect of the morphological substrates preceeding the development of the HIV-1 related cognitive/motor complex.
Authors: Kenny Lin; Michael J Taylor; Robert Heaton; Donald Franklin; Terry Jernigan; Christine Fennema-Notestine; Allen McCutchan; J Hampton Atkinson; Ronald J Ellis; Justin McArthur; Susan Morgello; David Simpson; Ann C Collier; Christina Marra; Benjamin Gelman; David Clifford; Igor Grant Journal: J Clin Exp Neuropsychol Date: 2011-01-10 Impact factor: 2.475
Authors: David F Tate; Mehul Sampat; Jaroslaw Harezlak; Mark Fiecas; Joseph Hogan; Jeffrey Dewey; Daniel McCaffrey; Daniel Branson; Troy Russell; Jared Conley; Michael Taylor; Giovanni Schifitto; Giavoni Schifitto; J Zhong; Eric S Daar; Jeffrey Alger; Mark Brown; Elyse Singer; T Campbell; D McMahon; Y Tso; Janetta Matesan; Scott Letendre; S Paulose; Michelle Gaugh; C Tripoli; Constantine Yiannoutsos; Erin D Bigler; Ronald A Cohen; Charles R G Guttmann; Bradford Navia Journal: J Neurovirol Date: 2011-05-10 Impact factor: 2.643