The authors assessed the frequency of spinal cord alpha-synuclein pathology in neurologically asymptomatic individuals older than 60 years of age ( N = 106). Using alpha-synuclein immunohistochemistry, nine cases (8%) had incidental Lewy neurites in the intermediolateral column and at least some alpha-synuclein pathology in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, locus ceruleus, and central raphe nucleus. Sparse alpha-synuclein pathology was also detected in the substantia nigra, basal forebrain, amygdala, or cortex in all but two cases.
α-Synuclein pathology in the spinal cords of neurologically asymptomatic aged individuals
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K. J. Klos, MD,
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J. E. Ahlskog, MD, PhD,
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K. A. Josephs, MD, MST,
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H. Apaydin, MD,
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J. E. Parisi, MD,
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B. F. Boeve, MD,
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M. W. DeLucia, BS and
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D. W. Dickson, MD
+Show Affiliations
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Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Dennis W. Dickson, Departments of Pathology and Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224; e-mail: dickson.dennis@mayo.edu
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doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000204179.88955.fa
Neurology April 11, 2006 vol. 66 no. 7 1100-1102
The authors assessed the frequency of spinal cord α-synuclein pathology in neurologically asymptomatic individuals older than 60 years of age (N = 106). Using α-synuclein immunohistochemistry, nine cases (8%) had incidental Lewy neurites in the intermediolateral column and at least some α-synuclein pathology in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, locus ceruleus, and central raphe nucleus. Sparse α-synuclein pathology was also detected in the substantia nigra, basal forebrain, amygdala, or cortex in all but two cases.