Shift from fibrillar to nonfibrillar Abeta deposits in the neocortex of subjects with Alzheimer disease.

Publication Type Academic Article
Authors Wegiel J, Bobinski M, Tarnawski M, Dziewiatkowski J, Popovitch E, Bobinski M, Lach B, Reisberg B, Miller D, De Santi S, De Leon M
Journal J Alzheimers Dis
Volume 3
Issue 1
Pagination 49-57
Date Published 02/01/2001
ISSN 1875-8908
Abstract A morphometric study of amyloid-beta-positive plaques in the neocortex of eight non-demented people from 68 to 82 years of age and 17 subjects with late-stage Alzheimer disease (GDS stage 7/FAST stages 7a-f) from 73 to 93 years of age shows a shift from prevalence of fibrillar plaques to prevalence of nonfibrillar plaques. In the aged, non-demented subjects, about 4/mm^2 plaques are detectable in the neocortex, and the majority are fibrillar plaques. Specifically, 64% found to be classical fibrillar and Thioflavin-S-positive bright primitive plaques. A lower percentage of pale primitive plaques (35%) relatively small proportion of plaques that are poor in thioflavin S-positive fibrils. The numerical density of plaques in the severe stage of AD increases to about 41/mm^2. Severely demented subjects appear to maintain an active process of fibrillar plaque formation. This is reflected in the presence of 3% bright primitive plaques. Severely demented subjects also manifest plaque degradation, reflected in the presence of 22% and 48% percentages of classical fibrillar plaques in non-demented subjects and in the end stage of disease suggest that once activated, the process of fibrillar plaque formation persists at a somewhat stable rate during the whole course of brain amyloidosis.
DOI 10.3233/jad-2001-3108
PubMed ID 12214072
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