No global neocortical nerve cell loss in brains from patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer's type

doi:10.1016/0197-4580(94)90030-2

Neurobiology of Aging

Volume 15, Issue 3, May–June 1994, Pages 347-352

https://doi.org/10.1016/0197-4580(94)90030-2 Get rights and content

Abstract

Precise estimates of total neuron numbers in neocortices of 11 women, mean age 82.6 years (range 79–88) with severe senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type (SDAT) were compared with similar estimates in 10 cognitively normal women of comparable mean age (84.1 years; range 74–92). The total mean nerve cell number in the SDAT group was 16.9 × 10⁹ with a coefficient of variation (CV = SD/mean) = 0.14, whereas mean total neuron number in the control group was 18.1 × 10⁹, CV = 0.18. In a material of this size the reduction of 6% in neocortical cell number in the SDATs is neither statistically nor biologically significant. Nevertheless, all patients with SDAT were severely demented, having a mean score of 5.6 on a 1–7-scale of dementia. This contrasts with the nondemented individuals who had lived an independent life at home until shortly before death. The SDAT patients showed a rather consistent reduction in cortical volume by 14%, an atrophy that was solely due to a reduced cortical thickness. In addition, all had multiple neocortical plaques (Bielschowsky silver stain).

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Peer commentaryNo global neocortical nerve cell loss in brains from patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer's type

Abstract

J. Neurol. Sci.

J. Neurol. Sci.

J. Neurol. Sci.

Neurobiol. Aging

Neurobiol. Aging

Ratio of pyramidal cells vs. nonpyramidal cells in the human frontal isocortex and changes in ratio with ageing and Alzheimer's disease

The total number of neurons in the human neocortex unbiasedly estimated using optical disectors

J. Microsc.

Synapse loss in frontal cortex biopsies in Alzheimer's disease: Correlation with cognitive severity

Ann. Neurol.

Quantitation of cerebral atrophy in preclinical and end-stage Alzheimer's disease

Ann. Neurol.

Documenta Geigy

Wissenschaftliche Tabellen

Stereology of arbitrary particles

The efficiency of systematic sampling in stereology and its prediction

J. Microsc.

The new stereological tools: Disector, fractionator, nucleator and point sampled intercepts and their use in pathologic research and diagnosis

Acta Pathol. Microbiol. Scand.

Peer commentary
No global neocortical nerve cell loss in brains from patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer's type