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Post–traumatic Alzheimer's disease: preponderance of a single plaque type
Author(s) -
CLINTON J.,
AMBLER M. W.,
ROBERTS G. W.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
neuropathology and applied neurobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.538
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1365-2990
pISSN - 0305-1846
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2990.1991.tb00695.x
Subject(s) - pathology , senile plaques , dementia , head trauma , alzheimer's disease , degenerative disease , disease , medicine , amyloid (mycology) , surgery
The cause of Alzheimer's disease is unknown. Several factors have been proposed including head trauma. At present, the link between head injury and a subsequent neurodegenerative process is largely circumstantial, except in the case of dementia pugilistica (punch drunk syndrome) found in boxers. Recent studies have shown that the brains of boxers with this syndrome contain large numbers of ‘diffuse’ p–protein immunoreactive plaques. We supposed that this plaque type might be associated with trauma induced Alzheimer–like degeneration. In order to test this hypothesis we have re–investigated a previously Reported case of post–traumatic premature Alzheimer's disease. Immunocytochemistry using antibodies to amyloid β–protein revealed large numbers of ‘diffuse’ non–Congophilic plaques with little or no neuritic component. A similar preponderance of this plaque type is present in the brains of boxers with dementia pugilistica. Our observations support the idea of a trauma induced Alzheimer–like degenerative process and indicate that such a condition is associated with a marked preponderance of ‘diffuse’ plaques.