Morphological alterations of the choroid plexus in late-onset Alzheimer's disease

Acta Neuropathol. 2000 Feb;99(2):105-8. doi: 10.1007/pl00007412.

Abstract

Anomalies of the cerebrospinal fluid flow rate and composition that have been reported in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) could be related to alterations of the choroid plexuses (CD). Here we report a photonic and electron morphometric study in which we compared the height of CP epithelial cells and the thickness of their basement membrane on post-mortem samples from AD patients, age-matched controls and two newborns. Ageing appeared associated with epithelial atrophy and basement membrane thickening, but these features were significantly accentuated in AD. These data suggest that a dramatic alteration of the secretion and filtration could be involved in the multiparametric pathogenesis of late-onset AD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age of Onset
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology*
  • Alzheimer Disease / physiopathology
  • Basement Membrane / pathology
  • Basement Membrane / ultrastructure
  • Choroid Plexus / pathology*
  • Choroid Plexus / ultrastructure
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Epithelial Cells / ultrastructure
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Middle Aged
  • Reference Values
  • Sudden Infant Death / pathology