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Distribution of tuft-shaped astrocytes in the cerebral cortex in progressive supranuclear palsy

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Abstract

The deposition of abnormal levels of tau protein is a major neuropathological feature of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and the presence of tuft-shaped astrocytes is a neuropathological hallmark of PSP. We examined the topographic distribution of tuft-shaped astrocytes in the cerebral hemisphere by Gallyas-Braak silver staining in three Japanese autopsy cases of typical PSP. The distribution of tuft-shaped astrocytes was relatively uniform between cases. Tuft-shaped astrocytes were identified predominantly in posterior frontal areas such as the precentral gyrus and premotor and supplementary motor areas (Brodmann areas 4, 6 and 8). Tuft-shaped astrocytes were most dense in areas of cortical convexity, and they were more abundant in the crests of the cerebral gyri than in the valleys of the cerebral sulci. The temporal, parietal and occipital cortices, including the hippocampal formation and cingulate gyrus, were relatively free of tuft-shaped astrocytes. We confirmed involvement of the cerebral cortex in the pathology of PSP, and showed the widespread presence of tuft-shaped astrocytes, particularly in the precentral gyrus and premotor and supplementary motor areas, to be an essential neuropathological feature of PSP. The extra-pyramidal and pyramidal signs, supranuclear oculomotor abnormalities and other cortical signs associated with PSP may be related to the high density of tuft-shaped astrocytes in the precentral gyrus and premotor and supplementary motor areas. Dementia, apraxia, aphasia and frontal lobe signs may also result, at least in part, from this cortical involvement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, 466-8550, Nagoya, Japan

    Yasushi Iwasaki & Gen Sobue

  2. Department of Neuropathology, Institute for Medical Science of Aging, Aichi Medical University, Aichi, Japan

    Mari Yoshida & Yoshio Hashizume

  3. Department of Neurology, Higashi Nagoya National Hospital, Nagoya, Japan

    Atsuko Goto & Ikuko Aiba

  4. Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Science, Nagoya, Japan

    Manabu Hattori

Authors
  1. Yasushi Iwasaki
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  2. Mari Yoshida
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  3. Manabu Hattori
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  4. Atsuko Goto
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  5. Ikuko Aiba
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  6. Yoshio Hashizume
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  7. Gen Sobue
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Correspondence to Yasushi Iwasaki.

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Iwasaki, Y., Yoshida, M., Hattori, M. et al. Distribution of tuft-shaped astrocytes in the cerebral cortex in progressive supranuclear palsy. Acta Neuropathol 108, 399–405 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-004-0904-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-004-0904-5

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