MORPHOLOGIC DIFFERENCE OF NEUROPIL THREADS IN ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE, CORTICOBASAL DEGENERATION AND PROGRESSIVE SUPRANUCLEAR PALSY - A MORPHOMETRIC STUDY

Using Gallyas-Braak's silver stain, neuropil threads (NTs) in Alzheime r's disease (AD), corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and progressive supr anuclear palsy (PSP) were analyzed morphologically and morphometricall y. The NT density was highest in the cerebral cortical layer V in AD a nd CBD, and in the subcortical white matter in PSP. An overlaid, two-d imensional, camera lucida drawing revealed differences in the fine pro file of NTs among these three disease groups. The differences were con firmed by computerized feature analysis which revealed differences in maximum length, breadth, Feret's angle and orientation of the NTs, Unl ike a previous assumption that all NTs have a similar appearance, our study revealed that NTs in AD, CBD and PSP were distinctively differen t with respect to their morphology. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.