Size of neocortical neurons in control subjects and in Alzheimer's disease.

The aim of the present study was to estimate mean neuronal volume and absolute size distributions of the neocortical neurons in brains from controls and AD patients using stereological methods based on unbiased principles to determine whether changes in absolute cell size are part of the neuropathological pattern of Alzheimer's disease. The neocortex of 8 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), mean age 81.1 (68-94) y was compared with 9 nondemented controls, mean age 80.9 (65-101) y. The brains came from Johns Hopkins University Hospital (JHUH) in Baltimore, USA, the Netherlands Brain Bank (NBB), and from a large brain repository in Denmark. The rotator method was used to obtain an estimate of cell volumes providing absolute size distributions of the volume of both cell perikaryon and cell nuclei. The geometric mean volume of cell nuclei in neocortical neurons was 328 microm3 (interindividual CV = 0.15) in the Alzheimer group compared with 277 microm3 (interindividual CV = 0.17) in controls which was a statistically significant increase (P = 0.049). The perikaryal volume was 1117 microm3 in the Alzheimer group compared with 999 microm3 in controls which was a nonsignificant difference (P = 0.20). There was a highly significant correlation between the nuclear and perikaryal volumes in all individuals. The average slope of the regression lines was significantly higher in the Alzheimer patients than in the controls, illustrating that nuclear hypertrophy was more pronounced in the largest neurons.

[Non-specific symptoms and primary hyperparathyroidism]. / Ukarakteristiske symptomer og primaer hyperparatyreoidisme.

Primary hyperparathyroidism is diagnosed with increasing incidence. Many patients are misinterpreted as being asymptomatic, but they do indeed suffer from a broad variety of non-specific symptoms. Investigations show that patients with primary hyperparathyroidism may be lethargic, apathic, demented and depressed. Many suffer from bone and joint pain. Surgical treatment can be done with few complications and a high cure rate, resulting in reversal of symptoms. Since symptoms do not correlate with S-Ca++ or S-parathyroid hormone and since the symptoms can be attributed to many other causes, we need more research to find those patients, who will benefit from surgical treatment.

[Primary hyperparathyroidism with serum parathyroid hormone within the normal range]. / Primaer hyperparatyreoidisme med S-parathyreoideahormon i normalområdet.

Patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) often suffer from muscle and bone pain, are often easily fatigued and may show depressive signs. We present a case of a 50 year-old man with PHPT with muscle pain and fatigue. After parathyroidectomy the symptoms resolved. Preoperatively he had a normal serum-parathyroid hormone (PTH) and an increased ionized serum-calcium. Postoperatively the PTH level increased, though still within the normal range.