THE CORTICAL NEURITIC DYSTROPHY OF ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE - NATURE, SIGNIFICANCE, AND POSSIBLE PATHOGENESIS

It has been increasingly appreciated in the last decade that the neoco rtex of the Alzheimer's disease brain is characterized by a widespread neuritic dystrophy, spatially distinct from that observed surrounding neuritic amyloid plaques. The nature and significance of this cortica l neuritic dystrophy and its possible pathogenesis are the topics of t his review. It may represent a regenerative sprouting response of neur ons to partial deafferentation following cell loss; alternatively it m ay reflect a primary aberrant growth phenomenon leading to cell loss. Such changes could result from derangement of neurite growth-promoting and growth-inhibitory factors in the Alzheimer's disease brain.