23. Senile plaques and neurofibrillar degeneration: Difference between revisions
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'''Organ''': Brain, hippocampus | '''Organ''': Brain, hippocampus | ||
'''Description''': | '''Description''': The hippocampus is visible and that’s where the characteristic findings are visible on this slide. | ||
''Senile plaques'' are extracellular deposits of β-amyloid that are surrounded by silver-positive proteins. The amyloids themselves aren’t stained by silver and are therefore pale. These plaques are therefore visible as large black foci with a pale core. ''Neurofibrillary tangles'' are intracellular bundles of hyperphosphorylated ''tau''. These tangles are stained by silver and causes the neurons to be stained black. | |||
''Senile plaques'' are extracellular deposits of β-amyloid that are surrounded by silver-positive proteins. The amyloids themselves aren’t stained by silver and are therefore pale. These plaques are therefore visible as large black foci with a pale core. | |||
''Neurofibrillary tangles'' are intracellular bundles of hyperphosphorylated ''tau''. These tangles are stained by silver and causes the neurons to be stained black. | |||
'''Diagnosis''': Alzheimer disease (senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles)[[File:Alzheimer - senile plaques.png|thumb|Senile plaques and amyloid cores]]'''Risk factors:''' | '''Diagnosis''': Alzheimer disease (senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles)[[File:Alzheimer - senile plaques.png|thumb|Senile plaques and amyloid cores]]'''Risk factors:''' | ||
Revision as of 14:08, 7 July 2024
Staining: Silver stain (Bielschowsky)
Organ: Brain, hippocampus
Description: The hippocampus is visible and that’s where the characteristic findings are visible on this slide.
Senile plaques are extracellular deposits of β-amyloid that are surrounded by silver-positive proteins. The amyloids themselves aren’t stained by silver and are therefore pale. These plaques are therefore visible as large black foci with a pale core. Neurofibrillary tangles are intracellular bundles of hyperphosphorylated tau. These tangles are stained by silver and causes the neurons to be stained black.
Diagnosis: Alzheimer disease (senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles)
Risk factors:
- Genetic factors
- Down syndrome
- Lack of physical activity
- Traumatic brain injury
- Old age
Theory:
Alzheimer’s disease most commonly affects the hippocampus first, and then the frontal and temporal lobes before it becomes a diffuse process.
This slide is overstained, so the characteristic findings are therefore hard to distinguish from background noise.
