title: Neurodegenerative changes in the brainstem and olfactory bulb in people older than 50 years old: a descriptive study.
abstract: With the increase in life expectancy in Brazil, concerns have grown about the most prevalent diseases in elderly people. Among these diseases are neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Protein deposits related to the development of these diseases can pre-date the symptomatic phases by years. The tau protein is particularly interesting: it might be found in the brainstem and olfactory bulb long before it reaches the limbic cortex, at which point symptoms occur. Of the 14 brains collected in this study, the tau protein was found in the brainstems of 10 (71.42%) and in olfactory bulbs of 3 out 11. Of the 7 individuals who had a final diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), 6 presented tau deposits in some region of the brainstem. Our data support the idea of the presence of tau protein in the brainstem and olfactory bulb in the earliest stages of AD.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francine Hehn de
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edson
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rodrigues Neto
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Kumaira
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: André Silvestre Reitz da
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcio Aloisio Bezerra Cavalcanti
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rockenbach
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata dos Santos
authors.initials: Rdos S
authors.lastname: Padilha
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Liana Lisboa
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Arlete
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hilbig
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000473:pathology; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D012016:Reference Values; D051844:alpha-Synuclein / Q000032:analysis; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D051844:alpha-Synuclein; D016875:tau Proteins