Modeling the Relation Between Neurofibrillary Tangles and Intellectual Status
Abstract
The relationship between the neurofibrillary tangles and the intellectual deficit observed in senile dementia of the Alzheimer type was studied in 27 patients over the age of 75. The presence and density of tau positive tangles were assessed in six areas including limbic, paralimbic, and isocortical cortices. In the isocortical areas, the presence [1] or absence [0] of neurofibrillary tangles was better correlated with the Blessed test score than the density of the neurofibrillary tangles profiles. Multivariate analysis showed that the number of areas containing at least one neurofibrillary tangle was the best explanatory variable of the intellectual status. The cortical areas were ranked according to the prevalence of their involvement. The presence of tangles in an area of a given rank took place only if the areas of lower ranks were also involved. It is proposed that the presence of tangles in a given area is a more significant information than the value of their density. These data may lead to new diagnostic procedures.
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Our observation that emergent cellular pathology in a mouse model with pan-neuronal mutant tau expression is accurately predicted by a retrograde propagation model suggests that in mice, as has been long hypothesized in humans, spontaneous tau prion phenomena underlie neuropathological progression.
“However, our observation that emergent cellular pathology in a mouse model with pan-neuronal mutant tau expression is accurately predicted by a retrograde propagation model suggests that in mice, as has been long hypothesized in humans (Duyckaerts et al., 1997), spontaneous tau prion phenomena underlie neuropathological progression.”
From Spontaneous pathology in PS19 tauopathy mice progresses via brain networks (2025) · cites this paper as Duyckaerts et al., 1997
Duyckaerts et al and Sabbagh et al independently arrived at the conclusion that the density of NFTs in selected cerebral cortical fields significantly (p < 0.01) correlated with Blessed or Mini-Mental State Examination scores.
“Duyckaerts et al (287) and Sabbagh et al (252) independently arrived at the conclusion that the density of NFTs in selected cerebral cortical fields significantly (p < 0.01) correlated with Blessed or Mini-Mental State Examination scores (297).”
From Correlation of Alzheimer Disease Neuropathologic Changes With Cognitive Status: A Review of the Literature (2012) · cites this paper as [287]
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Spontaneous pathology in PS19 tauopathy mice progresses via brain networks
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- Authors
- Duyckaerts, C.
- Affiliations
- Inserm (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Duyckaerts, C
- ORCID
- Duyckaerts, C
- Venue
- Neurobiology of Aging
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1997-05-06
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 267-273
- ISSN
- 0197-4580 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2061495142
- Cited by
- 150
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 4.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neurobiology of Aging (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
- Keywords
- neurofibrillary tangles, tau protein, Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia, intellectual status, cognitive impairment, limbic cortex, paralimbic cortex, dementia diagnosis
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alzheimer Disease, Cerebral Cortex, Female, Humans, Intelligence, Models, Neurological, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Neurofibrillary Tangles
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