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Plaque-Induced Abnormalities in Neurite Geometry in Transgenic Models of Alzheimer Disease: Implications for Neural System Disruption
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Plaque-Induced Abnormalities in Neurite Geometry in Transgenic Models of Alzheimer Disease: Implications for Neural System Disruption

RICKY LE, LUIS CRUZ, BRIGITA URBANC, ROGER KNOWLES, KAREN HSIAO-ASHE, KAREN DUFF, MICHAEL IRIZARRY, H STANLEY and BRADLEY HYMAN
Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology, v 60(8), pp 753-758
Aug 2001
PMID: 11487049
url
https://doi.org/10.1093/jnen/60.8.753View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Neurites that pass through amyloid-ß deposits in Alzheimer disease (AD) undergo 3 changesthey develop phosphorylated tau immunoreactivity; the density of SMI-32-positive dendrites diminishes; and they also develop a marked alteration in their geometric features, changing from being nearly straight to being quite curvy. The extent to which the latter 2 phenomena are related to phosphorylated tau is unknown. We have now examined whether amyloid-ß deposits in APP695Sw transgenic mice, which have only rare phosphorylated tau containing neurites, develop these changes. We found that dendritic density is diminished within the boundaries of amyloid-ß plaques, with the greatest loss (about 80%, p < 0.001) within the boundaries of thioflavine S cores. Remaining dendrites within plaques develop substantial morphological alterations quantitatively similar to those seen in AD. A statistically significant but smaller degree of change in geometry was seen in the immediate vicinity around plaques, suggesting a propagation of cytoskeletal disruption from the center of the plaque outward. We examined the possible physiological consequences of this change in dendritic geometry using a standard cable-theory model. We found a predicted delay of several milliseconds in about one quarter of the dendrites passing through a thioflavine S plaque. These results are consistent with previous observations in AD, and suggest that thioflavine S-positive amyloid-ß deposits have a marked effect on dendritic microarchitecture in the cortex, even in the relative absence of phosphorylated tau alterations.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Clinical Neurology
Neurosciences
Pathology
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