title: Interpretation of neuropathological lesions: its limitations in medico-legal experts' reports.
abstract: Aggressive or paradoxical behaviour may reflect an organic dementia. The most frequent is Alzheimer's disease, which results from an abnormal structural conformation of tubulin-associated protein (tau) and beta-amyloid protein that, respectively, aggregate in certain neurons as intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and in the extracellular environment as senile plaques. These lesions progress in the brain tissue according to the stages described by Braak and Braak. Staging of neurofibrillary pathology has proven anatomical and clinical correlation, which can be used in a medico-legal procedure. We report two cases demonstrating discrepancies between anatomical and clinical features, which should encourage medical expert to prudence when interpreting neuropathological reports.
authors.affiliation: Service de Médecine Légale et Droit de la Santé, Faculté de Médecine, CHU Timone, Marseille, France. marie-dominique.piercecchi@mail.ap-hm.fr
authors.forename: Marie-Dominique
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Piercecchi-Marti
authors.forename: Andre Maues
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: De Paula
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gavaudan
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bartoli
authors.forename: Anne-Laure
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Pelissier-Alicot
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leonetti
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Pellissier
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D016657:Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy / Q000473:pathology; D004282:Documentation; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016874:Neurofibrillary Tangles / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009929:Organ Size; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D001323:Autoantibodies