DEGENERATIVE DISEASES COMMUNITY
Post Mortem on brain

Post Mortem on brain

Can anyone tell me what this means exactly?  This was written in a pathology report nearly 4 years ago, can anyone tell me what it means?

"Brainstem mild but definite loss of neurones from substantia nigra. In addition occasional lewy body are seen in locus ceruleus and in dorsal motor vagal nucleus.  Immunohistochemistry to alpha synuclein demonstrates much more alspha synuclein (Lewy Body pathology than is apparant on light miscroscopy alone, revealing both Lewy Bodies and Lewy neurites.  Alpha synuclein stains also reveal cortical lewy body pathology. These are present in amygdala, hippocampus and in frontal and temporal iscortex where they are associated with occasional lewy neurites.  These can also be domonstrated by immunohistochemistry to ubiquitin.

Immunohistochemistry to tau demonstrates sparse neuritic plaque formation throughout isocortex but neurofilrillary tangles here are inconspicuous. There is moderate tangle formation within the hippocamous, particularly in CA1 but without significant extension into CA4.

In conclusion, there is significant neurodegenerative pathology within this brain. The brain shows evidence of both cortical and brainstem lewy body formation, which is significant in amount.  The interpretation of neurocengenerative findings is somewhat difficult without a clear history of the patient’s neurological status.  Cortical Lewy body disease may of course be a cause of dementia.  Also was there any history to suggest parkinsonism although I note that the brainstem lewy body formation is associated with only mild neuronal loss from the substantia nigra.  There is Alzheimer type pathology present (Braak stage 3 out of 6).  Alzheimer type pathology of this mild degree would not itself be expected to be associated with cognitive impairment, but might contribute to cognitive impairment in the context of cortical lewy body disease.  In summary therefore the neuropathological findings are of

Cortical lewy body pathology
Brainstem lewy body pathology
Neurofibrillary tangle and plaque formation (braak stage 3 out of 6)"

Many thanks
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