title: Mammillary Bodies in Alzheimer's Disease: A Golgi and Electron Microscope Study.
abstract: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by irreversible memory decline, concerning no rarely spatial memory and orientation, alterations of the mood and personality, gradual loss of motor skills, and substantial loss of capacities obtained by previous long education. We attempted to describe the morphological findings of the mammillary bodies in early cases of AD. Samples were processed for electron microscopy and silver impregnation techniques. The nuclei of the mammillary bodies demonstrated a substantial decrease in the neuronal population and marked abbreviation of dendritic arbors. Decrease in spine density and morphological abnormalities of dendritic spines was also seen. Synaptic alterations were prominent. Alzheimer's pathology, such as deposits of amyloid-β peptide and neurofibrillary degeneration, was minimal. Electron microscopy revealed mitochondrial alterations and fragmentation of Golgi apparatus, associated frequently with synaptic pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neuropathology and Electron Microscopy, Aristotelian University, Thessaloniki, Greece Laboratory of Neuropathology, Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease, Iraklion, Greece sibh844@otenet.gr.
authors.forename: Stavros J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Baloyannis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neuropathology and Electron Microscopy, Aristotelian University, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mavroudis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neuropathology and Electron Microscopy, Aristotelian University, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Baloyannis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neuropathology and Electron Microscopy, Aristotelian University, Thessaloniki, Greece Laboratory of Neuropathology, Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease, Iraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Vassiliki G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D049229:Dendritic Spines / Q000473:pathology*; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008326:Mammillary Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013569:Synapses / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Golgi staining; dendritic pathology; electron microscopy; mammillary bodies