Neuropathologic analysis of Lewy-related α-synucleinopathy in olfactory mucosa

We analyzed the incidence and extent of Lewy-related α-synucleinopathy (LBAS) in the olfactory mucosa, as well as the central and peripheral nervous systems of consecutive autopsy cases from a general geriatric hospital. The brain and olfactory mucosa were immunohistochemically examined using antibodies raised against phosphorylated α-synuclein. Thirty-nine out of 105 patients (37.1%) showed LBAS in the central or peripheral nervous systems. Seven patients presented LBAS (Lewy neurites) in the olfactory lamina propria mucosa. One out of the seven cases also showed a Lewy neurite in a bundle of axons in the cribriform plate, but α-synuclein deposits were not detected in the olfactory receptor neurons. In particular, high incidence of α-synuclein immunopositive LBAS in the olfactory mucosa was present in the individuals with clinically as well as neuropathologically confirmed Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies (6/8 cases, 75%). However, this pathologic alteration was rare in the cases with incidental or subclinical Lewy body diseases (LBD) (one out of 31 cases, 3.2%). In the olfactory bulb, the LBAS was usually present in the glomeruli and granular cells of most symptomatic and asymptomatic cases with LBD. Our studies further confirmed importance of the olfactory entry zone in propagation of LBAS in the human aging nervous system.