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Pick body disease and Pick syndrome
Toshiki Uchihara1, Kenji Ikeda, Kuniaki Tsuchiya
1Department of Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Neuroscience, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. uchihara@tmin.ac.jp
Summary
This study clarifies Pick's disease (PD) by distinguishing histological Pick body disease (PB) from the clinical Pick syndrome. Differentiating tau pathology via silver staining aids in diagnosing these neurodegenerative disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuropathology
- Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Histopathology
Background:
- The term Pick's disease (PD) is ambiguous, encompassing both histological findings (Pick bodies) and clinical syndromes.
- This ambiguity complicates diagnosis and research into related neurodegenerative conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose distinct diagnostic terms: 'Pick body disease' for histological confirmation and 'Pick syndrome' for clinical presentation.
- To investigate the tau pathology in Pick body disease and its differential staining characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Three-dimensional reconstruction of Pick bodies to analyze tau-like immunoreactivity.
- Comparative analysis of silver staining methods (Bodian and Gallyas) for different tau pathologies.
Main Results:
- Pick bodies show tau-like immunoreactivity, accentuated at their periphery.
- Three-repeat tau pathology in Pick body disease preferentially stains with the Bodian method.
- Four-repeat tau pathology shows reversed staining affinity (Gallyas over Bodian).
Conclusions:
- Introducing 'Pick body disease' and 'Pick syndrome' resolves taxonomic confusion.
- Distinct tau species and their differential silver staining profiles offer a practical method for differentiating neurodegenerative disorders like PD, corticobasal degeneration, and Alzheimer's disease.