title: Synaptic alterations in the medial geniculate bodies and the inferior colliculi in Alzheimer's disease: a Golgi and electron microscope study.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  The neuronal loss and the alteration of the synapses in the medial geniculate bodies and the inferior colliculi may be involved in the impairment of communication and symbolic sound perception, which is noticed even in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, causing a progressive decline of intellectual faculties, gradual impairment of behavior and social performance, impairment of communication and speech eloquence, and various neurological manifestations. We attempted to figure out the synaptic alterations in the medial geniculate bodies and the inferior colliculi in 12 early cases of Alzheimer's disease, who fulfilled the clinical, and laboratory diagnostic criteria of Alzheimer's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  For the histological study we applied routine neuropathological techniques as well as Bodian staining and rapid Golgi method. We proceeded to electron microscopy for the ultrastructural study of synapses and dendritic spines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The morphological and morphometric analysis revealed substantial neuronal loss and synaptic alterations in the medial geniculate bodies as well as in inferior colliculi. Dendritic spines of the polyhedral and elongated cells of the medial geniculate bodies were decreased in number. Mitochondrial alterations and fragmentation of Golgi apparatus were seen in 15% of the neurons of the medial geniculate bodies and in 5% of the neurons of the inferior colliculi. Senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles were not seen in either the medial geniculate bodies or the inferior colliculi.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Aristotelian University, Thessaloniki, Greece. sibh844@otenet.gr
authors.forename: Stavros J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Baloyannis
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mauroudis
authors.forename: Spyros L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Manolides
authors.forename: Leonidas S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Manolides
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000473:pathology*; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007245:Inferior Colliculi / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000473:pathology; D016622:Silver Staining; D013569:Synapses / Q000473:pathology*