Synaptic pathology in the brain cortex of old monkeys as an early alteration in senile plaque formation.
Synaptic numeric density (Nv), average size (area: S), surface density (Sv) and number of synapses/neurone (Syn/Neur) were morphometrically measured in frontal (FC) and temporal (TC) cortex of adult and old monkeys. Sv was constant, a clear age-related trend to decrease by Nv and increase by S were observed in both areas investigated. Syn/Neur significantly decreased in TC of aged animals (-21.1%), whereas FC showed a not significant reduction (-2.6%). The present data support the hypothesis of an increased sensitivity to deterioration of TC synapses in aged monkeys, which might constitute a predisposing condition to the development of senile plaques.
Bertoni-Freddari
Carlo
C
INRCA Research Department, Neurobiology of Aging Laboratory, Ancona, Italy. c.bertoni@inrca.it
Fattoretti
Patrizia
P
Giorgetti
Belinda
B
Grossi
Yessica
Y
Balietti
Marta
M
Casoli
Tiziana
T
Di Stefano
Giuseppina
G
Perretta
Gemma
G
D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000473:pathology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000473:pathology*