PERIVASCULAR NERVES OF THE HUMAN BASAL CEREBRAL-ARTERIES .2. CHANGES IN AGING AND ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

In the present study the intrinsic nerve plexuses of the basal cerebra l arteries, derived from aged non-Alzheimer's and aged Alzheimer's dis ease patients were quantified and compared, A previous study described and quantified nerve density on similar arteries fi um healthy middle -aged patients, Whole-mount preparations of various segments of the ba sal cerebral arteries were stained For protein gene product 9.5, The d eep nerve plexuses, located at the adventitial-medial border, were qua ntified by image analysis. Transverse cryostat sections were stained f or various markers and quantified, Measurements on whole mounts demons trated that nerve densities were highest in the posterior communicatin g artery and in the postcommunicating part of the posterior cerebral a rtery (PCA) for both aged and Alzheimer's groups. Statistical comparis on showed a tendency toward decreased nerve density with aging, which was significant for the internal carotid artery, precommunicating part of the PCA, and the anterior choroidal artery in both non-Alzheimer's and Alzheimer's aged groups. In addition, in Alzheimer's patients ner ve density was significantly lower in the precommunicating part of the anterior cerebral artery compared with the healthy aged group. Measur ements on sections confirmed the tendency to decreased innervation wit h aging. It is concluded that densities of deep perivascular nerves of human basal cerebral arteries are subject to localized changes caused by aging and Alzheimer's disease.