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Perforant pathway changes and the memory impairment of Alzheimer's disease
Author(s) -
Hyman B. T.,
Van Hoesen G. W.,
Kromer L. J.,
Damasio A. R.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410200406
Subject(s) - perforant pathway , dentate gyrus , hippocampal formation , entorhinal cortex , neuroscience , hippocampus , parahippocampal gyrus , perforant path , senile plaques , alzheimer's disease , psychology , disease , temporal lobe , medicine , pathology , epilepsy
The perforant pathway is a large neuronal projection that arises from layers II and III of the entorhinal cortex of the parahippocampal gyrus. It is the principal source of cortical input to the hippocampal formation. In 11 cases of Alzheimer's disease, we have found that neurofibrillary tangles develop in the cells of origin of the perforant pathway. In addition, the termination zone of the perforant pathway, in the outer two thirds of the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, contains a distinct layer of neuritic plaques. None of the 8 control subjects had such changes. These profound alterations effectively disconnect the hippocampal formation from the association and limbic cortices. Because of the central role of the hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus in learning, it is likely that pathological changes in the perforant pathway, by precluding normal hippocampal operation, account for some aspects of the memory impairment in Alzheimer's disease.