Summary
Biopsy fragments from the frontal cortex of one patient with SSPE were studied with ultrastructural methods. Special attention was given to the presence of neurofibrillary tangles observed in all cortical layers. These tangles were composed either of filaments with a diameter of 10–12 nm or of paired helical filaments 22–24 nm at their widest and periodically reduced to 10 nm about every 80 nm. These tangles were observed in all cortical layers, while those formed by single filaments were only visualized in layer 3. The simultaneous appearance of both types of tangles in the same patient suggests that they may be chemically related, which is in keeping with recent chemical data concerning the nature of the neurofilament protein subunit.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Bouteille, M., Kalifat, S. R., Delarue, J.: Ultrastructural variations of nuclear bodies in human diseases. J. Ultrastruct. Res.19, 474–486 (1967)
Corselis, J. A. N.: Subacute sclerosing leuco-encephalitis: a clinical and pathological report of two cases. Br. J. Psychiatry97, 570–583 (1951)
Hallervorden, J.: Zur Pathogenese des postencephalitischen Parkinsonismus. Klin. Wochenschr.12, 692–695 (1933)
Hirano, A., Malamud, N., Kurland, L. T.: Parkinsonism-dementia complex, an endemic disease on the island of Guam. Brain84, 662–679 (1961)
Hirano, A.: Neurofibrillary changes in conditions related to Alzheimer's disease. In: Alzheimer's disease and related conditions, Wolstenholme, G. E. W., O'Connor, M. (eds.), pp. 185–207. London: Churchill 1970
Huttenlocher, P. R.: Dendritic development in neocortex of children with mental defect and infantile spasms. Neurology (Minneap.)24, 203–210 (1974)
Iqbal, K., Grundke-Iqbal, I., Wisniewski, H. M., Terry, R. D.: On neurofilament and neurotubule proteins from human autopsy tissue. J. Neurochem.29, 417–424 (1977)
Iqbal, K., Grundke-Iqbal, I., Wisniewski, H. M., Terry, R. D.: Chemical relationship of the paired helical filaments of Alzheimer's dementia to normal human neurofilaments and neurotubules. Brain Res.142, 321–332 (1978)
Ishino, H., Otsuki, S.: Frequency of Alzheimer's neurofibrillary tangles in the cerebral cortex in progressive supranuclear palsy (subcortical argyrophilic dystrophy). J. Neurol. Sci.28, 309–316 (1976)
Kidd, M.: Paired helical filaments in electron microscopy of Alzheimer's disease. Nature197, 192–193 (1963)
Malamud, N., Haymaker, W., Pinkerton, H.: Inclusions encephalitis with a clinicopathologic report of three cases. Am. J. Pathol.26, 133–153 (1950)
Mandybur, T. I., Nagpoul, A. S., Pappas, Z., Nikowitz, W. J.: Alzheimer neurofibrillary changes in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Ann. Neurol.1, 71–79 (1977)
Marin-Padilla, M.: Structural abnormalities of the cerebral cortex in human chromosome aberrations. A Golgi study. Brain Res.44, 625–629 (1972)
Nikowitz, W. J., Mandybur, T. I.: Neurofibrillary changes following childhood lead encephalopathy. J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol.34, 445–455 (1975)
Paula-Barbosa, M. M., Gray, E. G.: The effects of various fixatives at different pH on synaptic coated vesicles, reticulosomes, and cytonet. J. Neurocytol.3, 471–486 (1974)
Paula-Barbosa, M. M., Ruela, C., Faria, R., Cruz, C.: Cerebral dendritic degeneration in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). Neurology (Minneap.) (in press) (1979)
Purpura, D. P.: Dendritic spine “dysgenesis” and mental retardation. Science186, 1126–1128 (1974)
Scheibel, A. B., Tomiyasu, U.: Dendritic sprouting in Alzheimer's presenile dementia. Exp. Neurol.60, 1–8 (1978)
Shelanski, M. L., Wisniewski, H.: Neurofibrillary degeneration induced by vincristine therapy. Arch. Neurol.20, 199–206 (1969)
Shibayama, H., Kitoh, J.: Electron microscopic structure of the Alzheimer's neurofibrillary changes in a case of atypical senile dementia. Acta Neuropathol. (Berl.)41, 229–234 (1978)
Tellez-Nagel, I., Wisniewski, H. M.: Ultrastructure of neurofibrillary tangles in Steele-Richardson-Olzewski syndrome. Arch. Neurol.29, 324–327 (1973)
Terry, R. D.: The fine structure of neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer's disease. J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol.22, 629–642 (1963)
Terry, R. D., Pena, C.: Experimental production of neurofibrillary degeneration. J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol.24, 200–216 (1965)
Wisniewski, H. M., Narang, H. K., Terry, R. D.: Neurofibrillary tangles of paired helical filaments. J. Neurol. Sci.27, 173–181 (1976)
Wisniewski, H. M., Soifer, D.: Neurofibrillary pathology: current status and research perspectives. Mech. Ageing Dev.9, 119–142 (1979)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Paula-Barbosa, M.M., Brito, R., Silva, C.A. et al. Neurofibrillary changes in the cerebral cortex of a patient with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). Acta Neuropathol 48, 157–160 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00691159
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00691159