Simple method for evaluation of planum temporale pyramidal neurons shrinkage in postmortem tissue of Alzheimer disease patients.
We measured the length of the pyramidal neurons in the cortical layer III in four subregions of the planum temporale (transitions into superior temporal gyrus, Heschl's gyrus, insular cortex, and Sylvian fissure) in control group and Alzheimer disease patients. Our hypothesis was that overall length of the pyramidal neurons would be smaller in the Alzheimer disease group compared to controls and also there would be right-left asymmetry in both the control and Alzheimer disease groups. We found pyramidal neuron length asymmetry only in controls--in the transition into the Sylvian fissure--and the rest of the subregions in the control group and Alzheimer disease patients did not show size difference. However, control-Alzheimer disease group pyramidal neuron length comparison revealed (a) no length difference in superior temporal gyrus transition area, (b) reversal of asymmetry in the insular transition area with left insular transition significantly shorter in the Alzheimer disease group compared to the control group, (c) both right and left Heschl's gyrus transitions significantly shorter in the Alzheimer disease group compared to the control group, and (d) right Sylvian fissure transition significantly shorter in the Alzheimer disease group compared to the control group. This neuronal length measurement method could supplement already existing neuropathological criteria for postmortem Alzheimer disease diagnostics.
Institute of Anatomy, Third Medical Faculty, Charles University at Prague, Ruská 87, Prague 10, 100 00 Praha, Czech Republic.
Martina
M
Kutová
Institute of Anatomy, Third Medical Faculty, Charles University at Prague, Ruská 87, Prague 10, 100 00 Praha, Czech Republic.
Jana
J
Mrzílková
Institute of Anatomy, Third Medical Faculty, Charles University at Prague, Ruská 87, Prague 10, 100 00 Praha, Czech Republic.
Denisa
D
Kirdajová
Prague Psychiatric Center, Ústavní 91, Prague 8, 181 03 Praha, Czech Republic.
Daniela
D
Řípová
Institute of Anatomy, Third Medical Faculty, Charles University at Prague, Ruská 87, Prague 10, 100 00 Praha, Czech Republic.
Petr
P
Zach
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000473:pathology*