Difference between revisions of "Neurodegenerative diseases"

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Prionopathies:
Prionopathies:
*Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (PrP).
*Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (PrP).
'''Note:''' Some people consider α-synuclein as a prion-like protein.<ref>{{Cite journal  | last1 = Watts | first1 = JC. | title = Calling α-synuclein a prion is scientifically justifiable. | journal = Acta Neuropathol | volume = 138 | issue = 4 | pages = 505-508 | month = Oct | year = 2019 | doi = 10.1007/s00401-019-02058-0 | PMID = 31407029 }}</ref>


====Table====
====Table====
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{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto"
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto"
! Disease
! Disease
! Mutated protein
! Deposited protein
! Distribution
! Distribution
! Clinical
! Clinical
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| [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FTLD_TSP43_hippocampus.jpg]
| [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FTLD_TSP43_hippocampus.jpg]
|-
|-
| Frontotemporal lobar <br>degeneration with FET(FTLD-FET)
| Frontotemporal lobar <br>degeneration with FET (FTLD-FET)
| FUS/EWS/TAF15
| FUS/EWS/TAF15
| cortex, medulla, hippocampus, and motor cells of the spinal cord
| cortex, medulla, hippocampus, and motor cells of the spinal cord
| dementia, cases classified as FTLD-U, NIFID and BIBD
| dementia, cases classified as aFTLD-U, NIFID and BIBD
| FUS+ve, TAF15+ve, EWS+ve cytoplasmic & intranuclear inclusions, neuritic threads  
| FUS+ve, TAF15+ve, EWS+ve cytoplasmic & intranuclear inclusions, neuritic threads  
| [http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/brain/134/9/2595/F1.medium.gif]
| [http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/brain/134/9/2595/F1.medium.gif]
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===Alpha-synuclein===
===Alpha-synuclein===
Look for:
Look for:
*Lewy bodies (seen in Parkinson's d., Dementia with Lewy bodies) = round cytoplasmic eosinophilic body +/- pale halo.
*Lewy bodies (seen in Parkinson's Disease (PD), Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB)) = round cytoplasmic eosinophilic body +/- pale halo.
*Glial cytoplasmatic inclusions (Papp-Lantos bodies) seen in MSA.
*Lewy neurites(seen in [[PD]] and [[DLB]]) = abnormal neurites with filaments similar to those found in Lewy bodies.
*Glial cytoplasmatic inclusions (Papp-Lantos bodies) seen in mutisystem atrophy (MSA).
*Beta amyloid in vessels seen in cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA).


===Tau===
===Tau===
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===Ubiquitin===
===Ubiquitin===
*Marks proteins for recycling.
*Marks proteins for recycling.
*Stains Barr bodies in hippocampal granule cells<ref> {{Cite journal  | last1 = Gelpi | first1 = E. | title = Clinical Neuropathology teaching case 3-2015: female or male brain? Anti-ubiquitin visualizes Barr bodies in hippocampal granule cells which allows the determination of gender in human brains. | journal = Clin Neuropathol | volume = 34 | issue = 3 | pages = 115-6 | month =  | year =  | doi =  | PMID = 25909954 }}</ref>


====Microscopic====
 
===p62===
*p62; poli-ubiquitin-binding protein p62.<ref name=pmid19946779/>
*p62; poli-ubiquitin-binding protein p62.<ref name=pmid19946779/>


===Microscopic===
Look for:
Look for:
*Lewy bodies. (???)
* Lewy bodies and extracellular pigment in neuromelanin-containing nuclei (SN, LC, DVN) -> PD.
* Spongiform vacuolation in the neuropil (seen in Prion disease and FTLD-TDP).
* Neurofibrillar tangles (pyramidal layer of dentate gyrus).
* Granulovacuolar degeneration (granules within cytoplasmic vacuoles, mainly in the hippocampal pyramidal neurons, seen in AD).
* Cores of amyloid plaqyes.
* Cotton wool plaques (seen in familiar AD).
* Pick cells (balloned neurons in frontal cortex).
* Pick bodies (granular layer of dentate gyrus).
* Extensive astrogliosis (striatonigral degeneration, hepatic encephalopathy).
* Corpora amylacea in the cornu ammonis may be increased in neurodegenerative diseases. <ref>{{Cite journal  | last1 = Kovacs | first1 = GG. | last2 = Risser | first2 = D. | title = Clinical Neuropathology image 6-2014: Corpora amylacea replacing cornu ammonis (CACA). | journal = Clin Neuropathol | volume = 33 | issue = 6 | pages = 378-9 | month =  | year =  | doi =  | PMID = 25343241 }}</ref>
<gallery>
File:213-09-11-Congo Red Lewy body.tif|Lewy body
File:Amyloid plaques alzheimer disease HE stain.jpg|Cotton wool plaques
File:Neurofibrillary tangles in the Hippocampus of an old person with Alzheimer-related pathology, HE 3.JPG|Neurofibrillary tangles
File:SpongiformChangeCJD.jpg | Spongiform vacuolation
</gallery>


=Clinical perspective=
=Clinical perspective=
*Correlations between clinical signs and molecular can be poor.
**Example: The MAPT A152T gene mutation may cause clinical symptoms matching AD, [[Neurodegenerative diseases#Corticobasal degeneration|CBD]], [[Neurodegenerative diseases#Progressive supranuclear palys|PSP]] and  [[Neurodegenerative diseases#Lewy body disease|LBD]].<ref>{{Cite journal  | last1 = Coppola | first1 = G. | last2 = Chinnathambi | first2 = S. | last3 = Lee | first3 = JJ. | last4 = Dombroski | first4 = BA. | last5 = Baker | first5 = MC. | last6 = Soto-Ortolaza | first6 = AI. | last7 = Lee | first7 = SE. | last8 = Klein | first8 = E. | last9 = Huang | first9 = AY. | title = Evidence for a role of the rare p.A152T variant in MAPT in increasing the risk for FTD-spectrum and Alzheimer's diseases. | journal = Hum Mol Genet | volume = 21 | issue = 15 | pages = 3500-12 | month = Aug | year = 2012 | doi = 10.1093/hmg/dds161 | PMID = 22556362 }}</ref>
===Dementia general (mostly useless) DDx===
===Dementia general (mostly useless) DDx===
*[[Alzheimer's disease|Alzheimer's]] dementia - most common.
*[[Alzheimer's disease|Alzheimer's]] dementia - most common.
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*Misfolded cell-surface protein called PrP<sup>SC</sup>.
*Misfolded cell-surface protein called PrP<sup>SC</sup>.
**This is derived from the protein ''PrP<sup>C</sup>'' encoded by the ''PRNP'' gene.  
**This is derived from the protein ''PrP<sup>C</sup>'' encoded by the ''PRNP'' gene.  
*Different genetics strains are associated with varying clinical phenotype.<ref>{{Cite journal  | last1 = Monari | first1 = L. | last2 = Chen | first2 = SG. | last3 = Brown | first3 = P. | last4 = Parchi | first4 = P. | last5 = Petersen | first5 = RB. | last6 = Mikol | first6 = J. | last7 = Gray | first7 = F. | last8 = Cortelli | first8 = P. | last9 = Montagna | first9 = P. | title = Fatal familial insomnia and familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: different prion proteins determined by a DNA polymorphism. | journal = Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A | volume = 91 | issue = 7 | pages = 2839-42 | month = Mar | year = 1994 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.91.7.2839 | PMID = 7908444 }}</ref>


Includes:
Includes:
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Note:
Note:
*Spongiform changes may be seen in [[ALS]], [[Alzheimer's disease]] and Lewy body disease (e.g. [[Parkinson disease]]); however, the changes are only in the upper cortex and not diffuse.<ref>{{Ref APBR|419 Q4}}</ref>
*Spongiform changes may be seen in [[ALS]], [[Alzheimer's disease]] and Lewy body disease (e.g. [[Parkinson disease]]); however, the changes are only in the upper cortex and not diffuse.<ref>{{Ref APBR|419 Q4}}</ref>
===Molecular===
*The CJD phenotype is associated with a PRNP D178N mutation and valine polymorphism at codon 129 (D178N-129V).
** Note: A Met129 polymorphism will cause Fatal familiar insomnia in the setting of the same PRNP D178N mutation. <ref>{{Cite journal  | last1 = Goldfarb | first1 = LG. | last2 = Petersen | first2 = RB. | last3 = Tabaton | first3 = M. | last4 = Brown | first4 = P. | last5 = LeBlanc | first5 = AC. | last6 = Montagna | first6 = P. | last7 = Cortelli | first7 = P. | last8 = Julien | first8 = J. | last9 = Vital | first9 = C. | title = Fatal familial insomnia and familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: disease phenotype determined by a DNA polymorphism. | journal = Science | volume = 258 | issue = 5083 | pages = 806-8 | month = Oct | year = 1992 | doi = 10.1126/science.1439789 | PMID = 1439789 }}</ref>


<gallery>
<gallery>
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*Neuronal loss and gliosis (absent in minimal-change MSA).
*Neuronal loss and gliosis (absent in minimal-change MSA).
*Alpha-synuclein-rich glial and neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions in white matter (finding at autopsy).<ref name=pmid18825660>{{Cite journal  | last1 = Wenning | first1 = GK. | last2 = Stefanova | first2 = N. | last3 = Jellinger | first3 = KA. | last4 = Poewe | first4 = W. | last5 = Schlossmacher | first5 = MG. | title = Multiple system atrophy: a primary oligodendrogliopathy. | journal = Ann Neurol | volume = 64 | issue = 3 | pages = 239-46 | month = Sep | year = 2008 | doi = 10.1002/ana.21465 | PMID = 18825660 }}</ref>  
*Alpha-synuclein-rich glial and neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions in white matter (finding at autopsy).<ref name=pmid18825660>{{Cite journal  | last1 = Wenning | first1 = GK. | last2 = Stefanova | first2 = N. | last3 = Jellinger | first3 = KA. | last4 = Poewe | first4 = W. | last5 = Schlossmacher | first5 = MG. | title = Multiple system atrophy: a primary oligodendrogliopathy. | journal = Ann Neurol | volume = 64 | issue = 3 | pages = 239-46 | month = Sep | year = 2008 | doi = 10.1002/ana.21465 | PMID = 18825660 }}</ref>  
**Inclusions in oligodendrocytes (triangular, flame-like or sickle-shaped) are definitive diagnostic for MSA.<ref>MUN. 16 November 2010.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Trojanowski JQ, Revesz T |title=Proposed neuropathological criteria for the post mortem diagnosis of multiple system atrophy |journal=Neuropathol. Appl. Neurobiol. |volume=33 |issue=6 |pages=615–20 |year=2007 |pmid=17990994 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2990.2007.00907.x |url=}}</ref>
**Inclusions in oligodendrocytes (triangular, flame-like or sickle-shaped) are definitive diagnostic for MSA.<ref>MUN. 16 November 2010.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |authors=Trojanowski JQ, Revesz T |title=Proposed neuropathological criteria for the post mortem diagnosis of multiple system atrophy |journal=Neuropathol. Appl. Neurobiol. |volume=33 |issue=6 |pages=615–20 |year=2007 |pmid=17990994 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2990.2007.00907.x |url=}}</ref>
**Inclusions usu. abundant in basal ganglia, substantia nigra, pontine nuclei, medulla and cerebellum.
**Inclusions usu. abundant in basal ganglia, substantia nigra, pontine nuclei, medulla and cerebellum.
*Pons and Putamen:
*Pons and Putamen:
Line 594: Line 626:


=TDP Proteinopathies=
=TDP Proteinopathies=
==FTLD-TDP==
*Accounts for about 50% of all FTLD cases.
*Degeneration of frontal and temporal lobes.
*Inclusions not seen in HE or silver stains.
*TDP43-positive
**Neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions.
**Neuronal intranuclear inclusions.
**Dystrophic neurites.
*Ubiquitin+ve.
*p62+ve.
*aSynculein-ve.
*Tau-ve.
*FUS-ve.
*Four FTLD-TDP subtypes
** Type A: compact nuclear/cytoplasmatic inclusions, associated with GRN mutations.
** Type B: diffuse nuclear/cytoplasmatic inclusions most often seen in C9orf72 expansion.
** Type C: dystrophic neurites.
** Type D: Lentiform nuclear inclusions, only in cases with VCP mutations.
*C9orf72 mutated show additional DPR+ve staining of TDP‐43‐ve inclusions.
**These addtional inclusions are ubiquitin+ve and p62+ve


=FTLD-FET=
=FTLD-FET=
Line 623: Line 675:
* Intraneuronal cytoplasmic basophilic inclusion bodies.
* Intraneuronal cytoplasmic basophilic inclusion bodies.
* FUS+ve (universally).
* FUS+ve (universally).
* TAF15+ve
* EWS+ve.
* TAF15+ve.
* alpha-Internexin+ve.
* alpha-Internexin+ve.


==Neuronal Intermediate Filament Inclusion Disease==
==Neuronal Intermediate Filament Inclusion Disease==
* AKA: NIFID.
* AKA: NIFID.
* Hyaline conglomerates (brightly eosinophilic branching fibrillar structures embedded in a round, well-delineated, glassy vacuole).  
* Sporadic early‐onset frontotemporal dementia, motor neuron disease, extrapyramidal motor symptoms.
* FUS+ve (heterogenous).
* Hyaline conglomerates (brightly eosinophilic branching fibrillar structures embedded in a round, well-delineated, glassy vacuole).
* Deposits in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, basal ganglia, thalamus, cerebellar dentate, numerous brainstem nuclei and lower motor neurons.  
* FUS+ve/EWS+ve/TAF15+ve (heterogenous).
** FET+ve filamentous nuclear inclusions in the hippocampus.  
* Ubiquitin +/-ve.
* Ubiquitin +/-ve.
* NF +ve (some subunits).
* NF +ve (some subunits).

Latest revision as of 20:32, 24 May 2020

Neurodegenerative diseases is a big part of neuropathology. It includes some discussion of dementia.

Overview

  • Neurodegenerative disease = essentially progressive and selective neuron loss.
  • Clinically, they are not unique, e.g. dementia can be caused by several diseases (with different molecular etiologies).
    • Each syndrome (e.g. dementia, parkinsonism, ataxia) has a most common etiology and a DDx.
  • They are defined by molecular pathology.[1]
    • The diseases are due to the accumulation of abnormal protein.
      • The amino acid sequence of the protein may be completely normal. The problem may just be folding/protein conformation.

Molecular schema of neurodegenerative disorders:[1]

 
 
 
 
 
 
Neurodegenerative
disorders
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amyloidoses
 
Tauopathies
 
α-synucleinopathies
 
TDP-43
 
FUS/EWS/TAF15

Common diseases

Amyloidoses:

  • Alzheimer disease (Abeta).

'Pure' tauopathies:

Synucleinopathies:[2]

TDP-43 proteinopathies:

FET proteinopathies:

  • Basophilic inclusion body disease (BIBD).
  • Neuronal intermediate filament inclusion disease (NIFID).
  • Atypical frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin-positive inclusions (atypical FTLD-U).

Prionopathies:

  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (PrP).

Note: Some people consider α-synuclein as a prion-like protein.[3]


Table

Disease/pathology/clinical correlation based on Dickson:[1]

Disease Deposited protein Distribution Clinical Histology Image
Alzheimer disease Abeta (mutated APP) corticolimbic, usu.
spares occipital
dementia plaques, neurofibrillary tangles [1]
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease PrPres (mutated PrP) cortical & basal ganglia dementia (rapid progression),
movement disorder
cytoplasmic vacuolization, PrP+ve plaques, Kuru plaques (MV2 variant) [2]
Parkinson disease alpha-synuclein brainstem parkinsonism Lewy bodies in substantia nigra and locus coeruleus [3] [4]
Dementia with
Lewy bodies
alpha-synuclein corticolimbic, brainstem dementia + parkinsonism Lewy bodies brainstem and cortical, tangles [5] [6]
Multiple system atrophy alpha-synuclein basal ganglia, brainstem, cerebellum parkinsonism, ataxia Papp-Lantos inclusions (cytoplasmic deposits in oligodendrocytes)[4] [7]
Amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis (ALS)
TDP-43 motor neurons spasticity, weakness motor neuron loss, TDP-43+ve, TAF15-ve, EWS-ve inclusions in motor neurons [8]
Frontotemporal lobar
degeneration with TDP-43 (FTLD-TDP)
TDP-43 cortex, basal ganglia dementia, focal cortical syndromes histology depends on (type 1-4), ubiquitin and TDP-43+ve, tau and FUS-ve [9]
Frontotemporal lobar
degeneration with FET (FTLD-FET)
FUS/EWS/TAF15 cortex, medulla, hippocampus, and motor cells of the spinal cord dementia, cases classified as aFTLD-U, NIFID and BIBD FUS+ve, TAF15+ve, EWS+ve cytoplasmic & intranuclear inclusions, neuritic threads [10]
Progressive supranuclear palsy (FTLD-tau) tau 4R basal ganglia, brainstem atypical parkinsonism with early gait instability, falls, and supranuclear gaze palsy tau-positive globose neurofibrillary tangles
in neurons, tufted astrocytes, coiled bodies
in oligodendrocytes
[11]
Pick disease (FTLD-tau) tau 3R corticolimbic dementia + focal
cortical syndrome
Intraneuronal argyrophilic inclusions (Pick body) [12]
Corticobasal degeneration (CBD) (FTLD-tau) tau 4R cortical, basal ganglia dementia + movement disorder (Parkinson-plus syndrome) ballooned neurons, astrocytic plaques, pretangles in basal nucleus [13]
Argryophilic grain disease (AGD) (FTLD-tau) tau 4R medial temporal lobe, limbic structures late-onset amnestic syndrome Argyrophilic grains (also found unspecific in elederly) [14]

Immunohistochemistry

Alpha-synuclein

Look for:

  • Lewy bodies (seen in Parkinson's Disease (PD), Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB)) = round cytoplasmic eosinophilic body +/- pale halo.
  • Lewy neurites(seen in PD and DLB) = abnormal neurites with filaments similar to those found in Lewy bodies.
  • Glial cytoplasmatic inclusions (Papp-Lantos bodies) seen in mutisystem atrophy (MSA).
  • Beta amyloid in vessels seen in cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA).

Tau

  • AT8 = stains phosphorylated tau.[5]
    • AT = anti-tau.
    • Stains tau 4R and tau 3R.[6]

TDP-43

  • May accumulate due to a progranulin mutation.

Microscopic

Ubiquitin

  • Marks proteins for recycling.
  • Stains Barr bodies in hippocampal granule cells[9]


p62

  • p62; poli-ubiquitin-binding protein p62.[5]

Microscopic

Look for:

  • Lewy bodies and extracellular pigment in neuromelanin-containing nuclei (SN, LC, DVN) -> PD.
  • Spongiform vacuolation in the neuropil (seen in Prion disease and FTLD-TDP).
  • Neurofibrillar tangles (pyramidal layer of dentate gyrus).
  • Granulovacuolar degeneration (granules within cytoplasmic vacuoles, mainly in the hippocampal pyramidal neurons, seen in AD).
  • Cores of amyloid plaqyes.
  • Cotton wool plaques (seen in familiar AD).
  • Pick cells (balloned neurons in frontal cortex).
  • Pick bodies (granular layer of dentate gyrus).
  • Extensive astrogliosis (striatonigral degeneration, hepatic encephalopathy).
  • Corpora amylacea in the cornu ammonis may be increased in neurodegenerative diseases. [10]

Clinical perspective

  • Correlations between clinical signs and molecular can be poor.
    • Example: The MAPT A152T gene mutation may cause clinical symptoms matching AD, CBD, PSP and LBD.[11]

Dementia general (mostly useless) DDx

  • Alzheimer's dementia - most common.
  • Vascular.
    • Multi-infarct dementia.
  • Parkinson's associated dementia.
  • Lewy body dementia.
  • Alcohol-related dementia.
  • Fronto-temporal dementia (Pick disease).
  • Multisystem atrophy.

Mnemonic

Dementia mnemonic VITAMIN D VEST:[12]

  • Vitamin deficiency (B12, folate, thiamine).
  • Infection (HIV).
  • Trauma.
  • Anoxia.
  • Metabolic (Diabetes).
  • Intracranial tumour.
  • Normal pressure hydrocephalus.
  • Degenerative (Alzheimer's, Huntington's, CJD).
  • Vascular.
  • Endocrine.
  • Space occupying lesion (chronic subdural hematoma).
  • Toxins (alcohol).

Functional anatomy of dementia

  • Hippocampus (essential for forming new memories).
  • Frontal lobe (essential for retrieval of memories).

Parkinsonism causes

Amyloidoses

Alzheimer disease

General

  • Onset: episodic memory loss.
  • Diagnosis is clinical & pathologic.
    • Pathologic finding alone are not diagnostic.
    • Onset, rate of progression and the development of pathology are highly variable.
  • Defined by:
    • Pathological accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) into extracellular plaques.
    • Abnormally phosphorylated tau that accumulates intraneuronally forming neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs).
    • Clinicopathological correlation better for NFT than for Aβ.[21]
  • Seen in conjunction with vascular amyloid deposition; see cerebral amyloid angiopathy.
  • Evidence of possible iatrogenic transmission by cadaver-sourced growth hormone batches.[22][23]



Genetics

Genes associated with Alzheimer disease:[24]

  • Amyloid precursor protein (APP).
    • On chromosome 21 - may explain why Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) increases the risk of Alzheimer disease.[25]
  • Presenilin 1 (PSEN1).[26]
  • Presenilin 2 (PSEN2).[27]
  • Apolipoprotein E (APOE)[28] - specifically the epsilon-4 allele.

Gross

Features:

  • Temporal atrophy, esp. hippocampus.
  • Dilation of:
    • Lateral ventricles.
    • Third ventricle.

Gross/microscopic - disease spread by NF tangles (staging):[29]

  • Alzheimer "spreads" in a reproducible pattern:
    • Stage I-II: entorhinal cortex.
    • Stage III-IV: inferior aspect of brain.
    • Stage V-VI: limbic system.

Minimal sampling:

  • Frontal, parietal & temporal lobe
  • Hippocampus and entorhinal cortex

Additional sampling:

  • Basal ganglia
  • Cerebellum
  • Midbrain (including substantia nigra)
  • Occipital cortex

Images

Microscopic

Features:

  1. Neurofibrillary tangles.
  2. Senile plaques (AKA neuritic plaques).
    • Consists of two components:
      1. Centre - radiates.
        • Consists of Abeta amyloid
      2. Neurites - swollen axons.
    • Considered to be more specific for Alzheimer's than NF tangles.
      • How to remember: senile plaques = specific.
    • There is a CERAD staging system for senile plaque load: 0 (none), I (mild), II (moderate), III (severe).[34]
    • Images: senile plaques (utah.edu)[35] senile plaques - beta-APP - high mag. (WC).
  3. Neuron loss.
  4. +/-Cerebral amyloid angiopathy.

Images

Classification

NIA/AA Guidelines: "ABC" scoring method [36]

  • (A) assessment of amyloid b deposits
  • (B) staging of neurofibrillary tangles
  • (C) scoring of neuritic plaques
(A) abeta plaques (Thal phase)[37] (B) Neurofibrillary tangles (Braak stage) [38] (C) neuritic plaques (CERAD) [39]
(A0) 0 (B0) 0 (C0) none
(A1) 1 (temporal),2 (+frontal, +CA1) (B1) I,II (transentorhinal) (C1) sparse (1–5 neuritic plaques/1 mm2)
(A2) 3 (+diencephalon, +striatum) (B2) III,IV (limbic) (C2) moderate(6–19 neuritic plaques/1 mm2)
(A3) 4 (+brainstem),5 (+cerebellum, +pons) (B3) V,VI (neocortical) (C3) frequent(>20 neuritic plaques/1 mm2)

The ABC score is a good indicator for the likelihood of dementia.

Example: Cerebellar abeta deposits (A3) + tangles in entorhinal cortex and few temporal (B2), + 15 neuritic plaques per 1 mm2 (C2) -> (A3, B3, C2): intermediate AD level change.

Notes:

  • Abeta amyloid:
    • Derived from amyloid precursor protein (APP).
      • APP:
        • Rapid axonal transport - useful as a marker of axonal injury.
        • Function currently not known.
  • Tau:
    • Important in microtubule assembly.

Prion diseases

General

Etiology:[40]

  • Misfolded cell-surface protein called PrPSC.
    • This is derived from the protein PrPC encoded by the PRNP gene.
  • Different genetics strains are associated with varying clinical phenotype.[41]


Includes:

  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).
  • Sporadic fatal insomnia (sFI).[40]
  • Fatal familial insomnia (FFI).[42][43]
  • Gestmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS) - due to PRNP gene mutations.[44]

IHC

PrPC:[42]

  • Congo red +ve.
  • PAS +ve.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

  • Commonly abbreviated as CJD.

General

  • Rare.
  • Incurable disease.

Usually diagnosed clinically:

  • Characteristic findings:
    • Very rapid decline (3-4 months).
    • Characteristic (cortex findings on) neuroradiology.

Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

  • Abbreviated vCJD.
General
  • Associated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (AKA mad cow disease).
  • Should sample: spleen, lymph nodes, tonsils.[45]

Microscopic

Features:

  • Spongy appearance (cytoplasmic vacuolization[46]).

Note:

Molecular

  • The CJD phenotype is associated with a PRNP D178N mutation and valine polymorphism at codon 129 (D178N-129V).
    • Note: A Met129 polymorphism will cause Fatal familiar insomnia in the setting of the same PRNP D178N mutation. [48]


Alpha-synucleinopathies

Without clincial information Parkinson's disease and Dementia with Lewy bodies cannot separated in histology.

Dementia with Lewy bodies

General

Clinical features:

  • Parkinsonian features.
  • Hallucinations (visual).
  • Progressive cognitive decline with fluctuations.

Microscopic

Features:

Note: Cortical Lewy bodies are easily missed in HE.

IHC

  • Alpha-synuclein +ve.

Images

Parkinson disease

General

  • Common - often sporadic.
  • May be genetic.

Clinical TRAP:[49]

  • Tremor.
  • Rigidity.
  • Akinesia.
  • Postural instability.

Genetics:[50]

  • LRRK2 gene[51] - autosomal dominant.
  • PARK2 gene (parkin)[52] - autosomal recessive.

Gross

Features:[53]

  • Abnormally pale substantia nigra.
    • Pigmentation increases with age.
  • Pale locus ceruleus.

Notes:

Microscopic

Features:[53]

  • Loss of pigmented (catecholaminergic) neurons in the substantia nigra and locus ceruleus.
  • Gliosis - due to neuron loss.
  • Lewy bodies (in remaining neurons) - key feature.
    • Eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusion with "dense" (darker) core and pale (surrounding) halo.
      • Consist of filaments composed of alpha-synuclein.
  • Lewy neurites - alpha-synuclein positive processes.

IHC

  • Alpha-synuclein +ve.

Images

Molecular

  • Hereditary forms in less than 10% of the cases
    • Involved genes are consecutively labeled PARK1, PARK2....

Multiple system atrophy

Multiple system atrophy is a neurodegenerative disease of the parkinsonism-plus disorder group.

General

Clinical findings variable:

  • Parkinsonism (stiatonigral degeneration, MSA-P).
  • Ataxia (olivo-ponto-cerebellar degeneration, MSA-C).
  • Autonomic dysfunction (Shy-Drager syndrome, depreceated).
  • Clinical onset between 40-60 years.
  • Progedient tremor, atxia, laryngeal paresis, wakness, cognitive decline.
  • Patients usually succumb after 6 years from aspiration pneumonia.

DDx:

Macroscopy

Microscopic

Features:

  • Inclusions cerebral, subcortical white matter, cerebellar.
  • Neuronal loss and gliosis (absent in minimal-change MSA).
  • Alpha-synuclein-rich glial and neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions in white matter (finding at autopsy).[54]
    • Inclusions in oligodendrocytes (triangular, flame-like or sickle-shaped) are definitive diagnostic for MSA.[55][56]
    • Inclusions usu. abundant in basal ganglia, substantia nigra, pontine nuclei, medulla and cerebellum.
  • Pons and Putamen:
    • Nuclear inclusions (sparse in most cases).
    • Neuropil threads (alpha-synuclein).
  • Loss of myelinated fibers from external capsule, striatum and pallidum.

Images

Molecular

  • No known alpha-synuclein mutation.
  • Genetic variants of SNCA gene assoicated with MSA. [57]

Tauopathies

More than 20 different degenerative disorders can be classified as tauopathies.[58] FTLD-tau is an umbrella term used for tauopathies including PSP, CBD, PiD and GGT. [59]


Argyrophilic grain disease

Corticobasal degeneration

  • AKA CBD.
  • Symptoms may vary:
    • Progressive asymmetrical rigidity and apraxia, progressive aphasia or dementia.
  • Neuronal and glial Tau-positive inclusions.[60]
    • Astrocytic plaques.
    • Thread-like lesions and coiled bodies.
    • Ballooned neurons +/-.
  • Pathology is cortical and striatal and Gallyas-positive.
  • Neuronal loss in the substantia nigra.

DD: PSP (widespread neurofibrillary degeneration, with characteristic globose NFT).

Globular glial tauopathies

  • Commonly abbreviated GGT.
  • AKA sporadic multiple system tauopathy.
  • Rare disease.[61]
  • Combination of frontotemporal dementia and motor neuron disease or only part thereof.
  • 4-repeat tauopathy.

Microscopic

  • Globular oligodendroglial and astrocytic Tau inclusions.
  • Absence of tufted astrocytes.
  • Mostly Gallyas-negative.


Progressive supranuclear palsy

  • Commonly abbreviated PSP.
  • AKA Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome.

General

  • Diagnosis - clinical.[62]

Clinical:

  • Impaired control of gaze, esp. difficulty looking up and down (supranuclear palsy).[63]
  • Parkinsonism.[15]

Microscopic

Features:[1][62][64]

  • Globose neurofibrillary tangles in neurons.
  • Coiled bodies in oligodendrocytes.
    • Wire coil-like structure around the nucleus.
  • Tufted astrocytes.
    • Near impossible to see without IHC - specifically AT8.
    • Cellular processes filled with crap.
    • Star-like appearance; looks like a road network where all the roads lead to one place (Parisian star).
  • Grumose degeneration of the cerebellar dentate nucleus.
    • Granular eosinophilic material adjacent to nuclei; once thought to be pathognomonic for PSP.[65][66]

Images:

Pick disease

General

  • Dementia.

Gross

  • Frontal and temporal lobe atrophy.[67]
    • May be called "walnut brain"[68] - as it resembles a walnut.

Microscopic

Features:[67]

  • Pick cells = large ballooned neurons.
  • Pick bodies = round, homogenous, intracytoplasmic inclusions, size ~10 micrometers.

Image(s):

TDP Proteinopathies

FTLD-TDP

  • Accounts for about 50% of all FTLD cases.
  • Degeneration of frontal and temporal lobes.
  • Inclusions not seen in HE or silver stains.
  • TDP43-positive
    • Neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions.
    • Neuronal intranuclear inclusions.
    • Dystrophic neurites.
  • Ubiquitin+ve.
  • p62+ve.
  • aSynculein-ve.
  • Tau-ve.
  • FUS-ve.
  • Four FTLD-TDP subtypes
    • Type A: compact nuclear/cytoplasmatic inclusions, associated with GRN mutations.
    • Type B: diffuse nuclear/cytoplasmatic inclusions most often seen in C9orf72 expansion.
    • Type C: dystrophic neurites.
    • Type D: Lentiform nuclear inclusions, only in cases with VCP mutations.
  • C9orf72 mutated show additional DPR+ve staining of TDP‐43‐ve inclusions.
    • These addtional inclusions are ubiquitin+ve and p62+ve

FTLD-FET

  • Clinical manifestations depend on the distribution of the pathologic alterations in the CNS
  • Currently 3 disorders among the FTLD-FET subgroup.
  • In contrast to ALS-FUS, no genetic alterations of FUS have been reported to date for cases within the FTLD-FUS group.
  • 5–10% of all FTLD cases
  • Deposited Proteins: FUS, EWS, TAF-15.
  • FUS‐positive inclusions in FTLD cases show co‐aggregation of TAF15 and EWS
    • (Different from ALS-FUS)

DDx (also FUS+ve):

  • Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA)
  • Huntington Disease (SD)


Atypical FTLD‐U

  • Early onset frontotemporal dementia, rapidly progressive psycho‐behavioural changes.
  • Neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions in hippocampus and frontotemporal lobes.
  • Ubiquitin+ve, tau/TDP‐ve.
  • FET+ve inclusions
    • Unique vermiform filamentous neuronal nuclear inclusions.
  • Caudate nucleus head degeneration and hippocampal sclerosis.

Basophilic inclusion body disease

  • AKA: BIBD.
  • Variable clinic (behavioral, cognitive alterations, parkinsonism, motor neuron diseases, ALS-like).
  • Age of onset: 35-70 years.
  • Intraneuronal cytoplasmic basophilic inclusion bodies.
  • FUS+ve (universally).
  • EWS+ve.
  • TAF15+ve.
  • alpha-Internexin+ve.

Neuronal Intermediate Filament Inclusion Disease

  • AKA: NIFID.
  • Sporadic early‐onset frontotemporal dementia, motor neuron disease, extrapyramidal motor symptoms.
  • Hyaline conglomerates (brightly eosinophilic branching fibrillar structures embedded in a round, well-delineated, glassy vacuole).
  • Deposits in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, basal ganglia, thalamus, cerebellar dentate, numerous brainstem nuclei and lower motor neurons.
  • FUS+ve/EWS+ve/TAF15+ve (heterogenous).
    • FET+ve filamentous nuclear inclusions in the hippocampus.
  • Ubiquitin +/-ve.
  • NF +ve (some subunits).
  • p62 +/-ve.
  • TDP43-ve.
  • Tau-ve.
  • α-synuclein-ve.

Other

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy

  • Abbreviated CTE.

Huntington disease

General

  • Autosomal dominant inheritance.
  • Mutation in Huntington gene (HTT):[70]
    • 11-34 CAG repeat = normal.[71]
    • >42 CAG repeat = Huntington disease.

Clinical:[72]

  • Early onset dementia.
  • Involuntary movements (chorea) - both arms and legs.
  • Behaviour changes, e.g. grimacing.
  • Speech changes.

Gross

  • Severe caudate atrophy.[73]
    • Prominent frontal horns of the lateral ventricles.[74]

Note:

  • A normal caudate bulges into the ventricle.

Images:

Microscopic

Features:[72]

  • Neuron loss.
  • Gliosis.

Binswanger disease

General

  • Multi-infarct dementia affecting subcortical white matter.
  • Waste-basket diagnosis; diagnosed if CADASIL and amyloidosis have been excluded.
  • Diagnosis has been controversial -- most with this entity (in the past) were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Microscopic

Features:

  • Subcortical lesions that replace the myelin consisting of macrophages.

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitinated inclusions

Abbreviated FTLD with ubiquitinated inclusions or FTLD-TDP43.

General

  • There are several forms of frontotemporal dementia.
  • Related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); also a TDP-43 pathology.[75]
    • There are several subtypes of FTLD with TDP-43.

Gross

  • Frontal and temporal lobe atrophy.

Image:

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

  • Abbreviated ALS.

General

  • AKA Lou Gehrig's disease.
  • Characterized by motor neuron death.
  • May be familial and associated with C9orf72 expansion, or SOD1, FUS and TARDBP mutations.[76][77]
  • Pathological protein aggregates cause dysfunction of RNA-binding proteins.

Clinical

  • Peak incidence: 50-60yrs.
  • 2-5 per 100,000 individuals worldwide.
  • Dead after disease onset: Usu. 2-5yrs.
  • Weakness (Progressive bulbar, limb, thoracic, and abdominal muscle atrophy).
  • About 20% of ALS cases develop frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD).
  • Environmental toxins are discussed (Guam ALS).[78]

Microscopic

Features:[76][79]

  • Loss of the giant cells of Betz.
  • Motor neurons with eosinophilic inclusions (Bunina bodies).
    • PAS positive cytoplasmic inclusions.
  • Motor neuron loss + reactive gliosis + neurogenic muscular atrophy.
    • Loss of myelinated axons in the lateral and anterior columns of the spinal cord.
  • Ubiquitinated cytoplasmic inclusions.[80]
  • TDP-43 proteinopathy in motor neurons (90% of all sporadic ALS cases).
  • C9orf72 expansion cases: p62+ve, TDP-43-ve inclusions in the dentate gyrus, neocortex, and cerebellum.[82]
    • FUS-mutant cases show FUS+ve, p62+ve (few) and TDP-43-ve inclusions.[83]

Images:

DDx:

  • Spinal muscular atrophy.
  • Primary Lateral Sclerosis.
  • Hereditary Spastic Paraparesis (HSP).

Hallervorden-Spatz disease

  • AKA pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration.

General

  • Uncommon.

Microscopic

Features:[85]

  • Axonal spheroids.
  • Iron deposition.

Images:

Stains

  • Prussian blue +ve.

See also

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