Senile changes in the human neocortex and hippocampus compared by the use of the electron and light microscopes

The severity of certain "senile" changes, namely senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles and granulovacuolar degeneration in the neocortex and hippocampus, was estimated by light microscopy, in brains obtained at autopsy from 16 cases aged 24 to 93 years. An assessment of certain features of plaques and tangles as well as Hirano-bodies (also associated with senile change) was made by electron microscopy. A statistically significant correlation was found between the electron-microscopic and light-microscopic findings. The findings in an additional 4 cases aged 39 to 65 years in which only the cortex was examined supported the correlation.