Premium
Loss of pedunculopontine neurons in progressive supranuclear palsy
Author(s) -
Zweig Richard M.,
Whitehouse Peter J.,
Casanova Manuel F.,
Walker Lary C.,
Januarykel William R.,
Price Donald L.
Publication year - 1987
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.410220107
Subject(s) - progressive supranuclear palsy , pedunculopontine nucleus , pars compacta , pathological , degenerative disease , disease , neuroscience , psychology , alzheimer's disease , pathology , central nervous system disease , medicine , parkinson's disease , substantia nigra , deep brain stimulation
Abstract In the present study, the number of neurons (>20 μm in diameter) within the lateral part of the pedunculopontine nucleus pars compacta (PPNc) was determined at six rostrocaudal levels in 3 subjects with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), in 9 subjects with Alzheimer's disease, and in 6 age‐matched control subjects. At each level examined, significantly fewer neurons were present in patients with PSP than in control subjects (49 to 69% reduction). Significant differences in numbers of neurons were not demonstrated between control subjects and patients with Alzheimer's disease. The extent of pathological changes, particularly neurofibrillary tangles, was examined within the PPNc of subjects in these three groups. The average number of neurofibrillary tangles in a 12‐μm‐thick midlevel section of the lateral PPNc was 68.7 in subjects with PSP, 18.3 in those with Alzheimer's disease, and 3.0 in aged control subjects. These abnormalities of PPNc neurons in PSP may play important roles in some of the clinical features characteristic of this disease.