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Dendritic changes in the hippocampal formation of AIDS patients: a quantitative Golgi study

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Abstract

We have previously shown that in the hippocampal formation of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) there is neuronal atrophy, without cell loss. Because reductions in neuronal size are suggestive of associated neuritic alterations, we decided to study the dendritic trees of the main neuronal populations in the hippocampal formation. Material was obtained in five male AIDS patients and five male controls. After Golgi impregnation, the dendritic arborizations of dentate granule and hilar basket cells, and of CA3 and CA1 pyramidal cells, were hand traced, and their segments classified, counted and measured. We found an impoverishment of the dendritic trees in all neuronal populations in the AIDS group, which was more striking in the hilus and CA3 field. Specifically, hilar neurons had fewer dendritic segments, and reduced branching density and dendritic extent; in CA3 pyramids there was a decrease in the number of terminal segments in the basal trees, and a reduction in the total number of segments, number of medium order terminals, dendritic branching density and dendritic extent in the apical trees. In CA1 pyramids, the terminals were shorter in the apical trees and the dendritic spine density decreased in the basal trees, whereas in granule cells only the dendritic spine density was reduced in AIDS patients. Subtle signs suggestive of dendritic reorganization were observed. These results point to a regional vulnerability of the hippocampal formation to HIV infection, and might contribute to explaining the occurrence of dementia, as a consequence of overall reduction in the hippocampal neuronal receptive surface.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Prof. J. Pinto da Costa from the Medical Legal Institute of Porto, for providing the hippocampal formation used as control material. Thanks are also due to Mrs. Ana C. Martins and Mr. A. Alfaia for excellent technical assistance. This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Unit 121/94.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, Porto Medical School, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal

    M. J. Sá, M. D. Madeira, C. Ruela & M. M. Paula-Barbosa

  2. Department of Neurology, Hospital São João, Porto, Portugal

    M. J. Sá

  3. Department of Neuropathology, Neurozentrum, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

    B. Volk

  4. Department of Infectious Diseases, Porto Medical School, Hospital São João, Porto, Portugal

    A. Mota-Miranda

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  1. M. J. Sá
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Correspondence to M. J. Sá.

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Sá, M.J., Madeira, M.D., Ruela, C. et al. Dendritic changes in the hippocampal formation of AIDS patients: a quantitative Golgi study. Acta Neuropathol 107, 97–110 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-003-0781-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-003-0781-3

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