Neuropathology and general autopsy findings in nondemented aged subjects
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A retrospective study of the essential general pathology and neuropathological features in 100 nondemented individuals aged 65 years or older (mean 81.23 ± 5.47 y) was performed using semiquantitative methods. 91% of the patients had a history of hypertension, 31% malignancies, 24% COPD, 18% myocardial infarction, and 4% stroke. Major causes of death were cardiovascular decompensation, pneumonia, acute myocardial infarction, and malignancies. General autopsy revealed severe systemic and coronary atherosclerosis in 86 and 90%, respectively, renal angioangiolosclerosis in 82%, acute or recurrent myocardial infarction in 65%, and other diseases. Neuropathology showed average brain weight of 1,163 ± 113 g, mild to moderate brain atrophy, absent to mild atherosclerosis of large cerebral arteries in 46%, mild, moderate and severe one in 31, 17, and 6%, respectively. There were considerable discrepancies in the severity between generalized/ aortic and intracranial atherosclerosis, only less than one-third being comparable. Negative Khachaturian criteria and CERAD Stage 0 were observed in 83 and 86%, respectively, only 13% with CERAD Stage A, and 1% Stage B. Braak neuritic stages ranged from 0 to II (53%), II - III (29%) to III - IV (18%), none scoring Grade V or VI. The average Braak score was 2.3 ± 0.8. Vascular pathologies were common; CAA was absent in 61%, mild or moderate in 36% and severe in 3%. Mild to severe lacunar state in basal ganglia and/or white matter was seen in 73%, hippocampal sclerosis in 3 cases, while only 9% were free of cerebrovascular lesions. Lewy bodies were observed in 5 brains involving substantia nigra (n = 3), cerebral cortex (n = 1) and medulla oblongata (n = 1), 1 case representing incidental Lewy body disease. τ pathology in brainstem was observed in 60 cases (60%). Mixed cerebral pathologies (cerebrovascular lesions and moderate neuritic Braak stages) were observed in 6 cases (mean age 89.6 y). The importance of mixed pathologies in nondemented elderly, being less frequent than in other studies, remains to be elucidated.
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Among 100 non-demented elderly, a lacunar state in basal ganglia and/or white matter was observed in 73%.
“A lacunar state in basal ganglia and/or white matter was observed in 73%, hippocampal sclerosis in 3%, and mixed cerebral pathologies in 6%, whereas only 9% were free of CVLs [169].”
From The overlap between vascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease - lessons from pathology (2014) · cites this paper as [169]
Among 100 non-demented elderly, mixed cerebral pathologies were observed in 6%.
“A lacunar state in basal ganglia and/or white matter was observed in 73%, hippocampal sclerosis in 3%, and mixed cerebral pathologies in 6%, whereas only 9% were free of CVLs [169].”
From The overlap between vascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease - lessons from pathology (2014) · cites this paper as [169]
Among 100 non-demented elderly, severe intracranial atherosclerosis was present in 6% of subjects.
“Among 100 non-demented elderly, mild, moderate, and severe intracranial atherosclerosis was present in 31%, 17%, and 6% of subjects, respectively.”
From The overlap between vascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease - lessons from pathology (2014) · cites this paper as [169]
Among 100 non-demented elderly, mild intracranial atherosclerosis was present in 31% of subjects.
“Among 100 non-demented elderly, mild, moderate, and severe intracranial atherosclerosis was present in 31%, 17%, and 6% of subjects, respectively.”
From The overlap between vascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease - lessons from pathology (2014) · cites this paper as [169]
Among 100 non-demented elderly, only 9% were free of CVLs.
“A lacunar state in basal ganglia and/or white matter was observed in 73%, hippocampal sclerosis in 3%, and mixed cerebral pathologies in 6%, whereas only 9% were free of CVLs [169].”
From The overlap between vascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease - lessons from pathology (2014) · cites this paper as [169]
Among 100 non-demented elderly, moderate intracranial atherosclerosis was present in 17% of subjects.
“Among 100 non-demented elderly, mild, moderate, and severe intracranial atherosclerosis was present in 31%, 17%, and 6% of subjects, respectively.”
From The overlap between vascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease - lessons from pathology (2014) · cites this paper as [169]
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- Authors
- Jellinger, K. A., & Attems, J.
- Venue
- Clinical Neuropathology
- Publisher
- Dustri-Verlgag Dr. Karl Feistle
- Published
- 2012-03-01
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 03
- Pages
- 87-98
- ISSN
- 0722-5091 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2326740308
- Cited by
- 48
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 5.24
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- doi.org
- Locations
- Clinical Neuropathology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Newcastle University ePrints (Newcastle Univesity)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Autopsy Techniques and Outcomes
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neurological Disease Mechanisms and Treatments
- Keywords
- neuropathology, non-demented elderly, brain atrophy, cerebral atherosclerosis, cerebrovascular lesions, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, lacunar infarction, hippocampal sclerosis, Lewy bodies, tau pathology
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Autopsy, Brain, Cerebrovascular Disorders, Female, Humans, Hypertension, Male, Retrospective Studies, Lewy Bodies
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