title: Neuronal damage of the substantia nigra in HIV-1 infected brains.
abstract: Extrapyramidal motor disorders are frequently noted in HIV-1-infected patients. In the present study, the substantia nigra was analyzed morphometrically to detect neuronal changes which might contribute to the pathogenetic mechanisms causing extrapyramidal motor dysfunction in HIV-1-infected patients. The numerical density and the size of pigmented, non-pigmented small, and non-pigmented large neurons in four nuclei of the substantia nigra pars compacta (antero-medial, antero-intermediolateral, postero-lateral, and postero-medial nuclei) in HIV-1-infected patients and in age-matched normal controls were determined. In HIV-1-infected brains, the numerical density of total neurons (i.e., pigmented and non-pigmented) as well as of pigmented neurons was significantly decreased, whereas that of non-pigmented neurons was not significantly changed in all investigated nuclei of the substantia nigra as compared to normal controls. A specific pattern of increase and decrease of nonpigmented large and non-pigmented small neurons was observed. The size of total neurons (pigmented and nonpigmented neurons) and of pigmented neurons was significantly reduced in all investigated nuclei of HIV-1-infected brains. The results suggest that neuronal degeneration in the substantia nigra commonly occurs and may be related to extrapyramidal symptoms in HIV-1-infected patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuropathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mehraein
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weis
mesh_terms: D015526:AIDS Dementia Complex / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D002452:Cell Count; D048429:Cell Size; D005260:Female; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000473:pathology*