title: Immunohistochemical quantification of the synapse-related protein synaptophysin in Alzheimer disease.
abstract: Alzheimer disease (AD) as well as other dementing disorders are characterized by a continuous loss of neurons in cortical and subcortical areas and probably by an extensive synaptic loss. In order to substantiate and localize the loss of synapses in AD, we quantified by microdensitometry the neuropil immunoreactivity to an antibody that labels the protein synaptophysin (p38), which is localized in the presynaptic terminals. We found in the AD cases an average 50% decrease in the density of the granular neuropil immunoreaction in parietal, temporal and midfrontal cortex. In contrast, Pick disease cases presented close to normal values in parietal cortex, but major losses in temporal and frontal cortex. Our data strongly suggest an important role of synapse loss in dementia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Masliah
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Terry
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: DeTeresa
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000032:analysis; D003704:Dementia / Q000378:metabolism; D003720:Densitometry; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000032:analysis; D013569:Synapses / Q000032:analysis*; D016708:Synaptophysin; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016708:Synaptophysin