Morphological features of corpora amylacea in human parahippocampal cortex during aging

Introduction/Aim: Aging of the parahippocampal cortex is accompanied by atrophy. The most common changes include cell number reduction, formation of corpora amylacea in astrocytes, which may represent the basis for the development of cognitive dysfunction. The aim of this study was to detect presence and distribution of corpora amylacea in subpial and subcortical region of parahippocampal cortex during aging process using histochemical analysis as well as to carry out quantification of structural changes in different cortical layers using histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. Material and Methods: Material represents tissue of uncus of parahippocampal gyrus of right cerebral hemisphere of 30 cadavers taken from autopsies carried out at the Forensic Medicine Institute of the Niš Faculty of Medicine. Upon tissue preparation using standard histological procedures, 10 μm thick sections were made and stained with hematoxylin eosin and periodically with acid Schiff's method. The total number of 30 samples, 16 to 93 years of age, was analyzed. Results: During the normal aging process in parahippocampal cortex the number of corpora amylacea localized in subpial region increases, and it is even greater in subcortical white matter, with no significant change in size and shape. Positive reaction to neuron specific enolase, determined by immunohistochemical methods suggests the presence of neural components, while a weaker reaction to glial acid protein and positive one to S100 protein suggests the possibility that the corpora amylacea are astrocyte inclusion. Conclusion: The obtained results indicates that the presence of these structural changes may lead to damage of those brain structures responsible for normal memory function and thus responsible for cognitive changes present in healthy elderly individuals.

A histological study of prostate.

The work of anatomists and pathologists in the role of study of prostate has been significant. Starting from earlier times till modern time, the study of prostate has been a dynamic one and the basic anatomical knowledge of the prostate has undergone much change apart from the new techniques, micro invasive procedures and the chemotherapeutic approach for various disorders of the gland. The present study was based on the microscopic examination of Prostatic tissue of individuals with individual tissues of different age groups. The present study involved 40 cases which were further subdivided into various age groups and characteristic histological changes were noted. The study presents an assessment of age changes in prostate in elderly in Kashmiri population with pathological significance. Besides the histological study is of great importance in staging of diseases of prostate and especially in modern era where the incidence and prevalence of prostatic diseases is on rise.

Association of Corpora Amylacea Formation with Astrocytes and Cerebrospinal Fluid in the Aged Human Brain / 체질인류학회지

Corpora amylacea (CA) are glycoproteinaceous inclusions that accumulate in the human brain during normal aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Although it has been suggested that the cellular sources of CA are neuronal or glial, the mechanisms underlying CA formation remain controversial. The aim of this study was to identify the source of CA in the human brain. Sample of the human brain tissues were obtained from the cadavers. H-E stain, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain, and immunohistochemistry were performed in the brain tissues. Experimental induction of CA was also performed in rats. CA have been found in large numbers in the superficial, rather than in the deep, layer of the white matter in the lateral ventricle that is in contact with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and sometimes near the blood vessels. Destroyed choroid plexi with psammoma bodies have been observed in the lateral ventricle of aged brains containing substantial numbers of CA. The cores of CA were mainly composed of amorphous PAS-positive materials, and glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytic processes were attached to the surface of the CA. Weak MAP2 was detected on a few CA in the gray matter such as dentate gyrus. PAS-positive CA were located on the border of the hippocampus contacting the CSF in the lateral ventricle in the cysteamine-induced CA animal model. Taken together, main cellular source of CA is astrocytes and CA core formation may be associated with CSF in the aged human brain.

Corpora amylacea deposition in the hippocampus of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: A new role for an old gene.

BACKGROUND: Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is the most common medically refractory epilepsy syndrome in adults, and hippocampal sclerosis (HS) is the most frequently encountered lesion in patients with MTLE. Premature accumulation of corpora amylacea (CoA), which plays an important role in the sequestration of toxic cellular metabolites, is found in the hippocampus of 50–60% of the patients who undergo surgery for medically refractory MTLE-HS. However, the etiopathogenesis and clinical importance of this phenomenon are still uncertain. The ABCB1 gene product P-glycoprotein (P-gp) plays a prominent role as an antiapoptotic factor in addition to its efflux transporter function. ABCB1 polymorphism has been found to be associated with downregulation of P-gp expression. We hypothesized that a similar polymorphism will be found in patients with CoA deposition, as the polymorphism predisposes the hippocampal neuronal and glial cells to seizure-induced excitotoxic damage and CoA formation ensues as a buffer response. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared five single nucleotide polymorphisms in the ABCB1 gene Ex06+139C/T (rs1202168), Ex 12 C1236T (rs1128503), Ex 17-76T/A (rs1922242), Ex 21 G2677T/A (rs2032582), Ex26 C3435T (rs1045642) among 46 MTLE-HS patients of south Indian ancestry with and without CoA accumulation. RESULTS: We found that subjects carrying the Ex-76T/A polymorphism (TA genotype) had a five-times higher risk of developing CoA accumulation than subjects without this genotype (Odds ratio 5.0, 95% confidence intervals 1.34-18.55; P = 0.016). CONCLUSION: We speculate that rs1922242 polymorphism results in the downregulation of P-gp function, which predisposes the hippocampal cells to seizure-induced apoptosis, and CoA gets accumulated as a buffer response.

Increased Corpora Amylacea in the Intractable Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Case Report

Hippocampal sclerosis is the most common abnormal pathologic substrate found in patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. Histopathological findings of hippocampal sclerosis are characterized by the presence of neuronal cell loss and astrocytic proliferation in the facsia dentata, Ammon's horn, presubiculum, and subiculum. Despite numerous studies having been conducted, the pathogenesis of hippocampal sclerosis is still controversial. Recently, it has been reported that increased numbers of corpora amylacea can be found in the hippocampus, the gray and white matter of the temporal lobe, in association with hippocampal sclerosis, which may give another clue to the pathogenesis of the hippocampal sclerosis. The authors report 3 patients with medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis in association with an increased numbers of corpora amylacea in the temporal white matter.