Jw. Boellaard et al., MINIPLAQUES AND SHAPELESS CEREBRAL AMYLOID DEPOSITS IN A CASE OF GERSTMANN-STRAUSSLER-SCHEINKERS SYNDROME, Acta Neuropathologica, 86(5), 1993, pp. 532-535
Multicentric plaques of typical pathomorphology have been described in
two members of the well-documented German family ''Sch'' with Gerstma
nn-Straussler-Scheinker's syndrome (GSS). The case of a third affected
member with a clinical course of 10 years is now reported. In additio
n to multicentric plaques, small granules of prion protein (PrP) with
stellate ultrastructure (miniplaques) were found in the tractus perfor
ans and alveus of the hippocampal area. At the ultrastructural level,
shapeless amyloid deposits of irregularly arranged bundles of amyloid
fibrils were also observed in the same region. All amyloid precipitate
s apparent at the light microscopic level immunostained for PrP. These
observations widen the known spectrum of amyloid plaque morphology in
GSS.The multicentric plaque should still, however, be considered the
diagnostic hallmark of this disease.