CYTOLOGICAL DEMONSTRATION OF FEATURES OF ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE USING BRAIN SMEAR TECHNIQUE

The major diagnostic histopathological features of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease (AD) are amyloid rich neurofibrillary tangles (NFT s) and neuritic plaques (NPs) containing beta A4 peptide. As the frequ ency of stereotactic brain biopsies is increasing, the diagnostic cyto logical features of AD are of relevance. Our study presents the brain smear features of five autopsied patients with moderate to severe AD b oth clinically and pathologically. NFTs and NPs were identified in 100 % of smears. Amyloid neuropil threads (NTs), a more recently identifie d hallmark of AD, were also seen in all smears. Segmental beta A4 pept ide deposition within vessels, clustering of plaques around capillarie s, and NTs were more obvious by the smear technique than in histologic al sections. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.