title: Disproportionate loss of noradrenergic and cholinergic neurons as cause of depression in Alzheimer's disease--a hypothesis.
abstract: Forty-two patients with neuropathologically confirmed Alzheimer's disease, who had been examined prospectively, had a significant decrease of neuron numbers in the locus coeruleus, substantia nigra, and basal nucleus of Meynert compared to 10 age-matched, non-demented controls. A subgroup of 12 demented patients with a history of depression had significantly lower neuron numbers in the locus coeruleus and slightly higher neuronal density in the basal nucleus of Meynert. We hypothesize that a noradrenergic/cholinergic imbalance may promote the development of depressive features in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Central Institute of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Förstl
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Luthert
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cairns
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000473:pathology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000473:pathology*; D009410:Nerve Degeneration; D013377:Substantia Innominata / Q000473:pathology*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000473:pathology*