Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Changes within the basal nucleus in Parkinson's disease.

N Ulfig1, E Braak, H Braak

  • 1Zentrum der Morphologie, J.W. Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt, a.M. Fed. Rep. Germany.

Progress in Clinical and Biological Research
|January 1, 1989
PubMed
Summary

Magnocellular neurons in the basal forebrain exhibit acidophilic granules, with their presence decreasing in Parkinson's disease. Altered lipofuscin pigmentation suggests neuronal plasticity in affected basal forebrain nuclei.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Review: Sporadic Parkinson's disease: development and distribution of α-synuclein pathology.

Neuropathology and applied neurobiology·2015
Same author

Parvalbumin-immunoreactive neurons in the human claustrum.

Brain structure & function·2013
Same author

[Pathogenesis and prevention of Alzheimer's disease: when and in what way does the pathological process begin?].

Der Nervenarzt·2013
Same author

[Pathophysiology of sporadic Parkinson's disease].

Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie·2010
Same author

[Transcraniel ultrasound in the differential diagnosis of Parkinson's disease].

Fortschritte der Neurologie-Psychiatrie·2010
Same author

Interleukin-7 (IL-7) and IL-7 splice variants affect differentiation of human neural progenitor cells.

Genes and immunity·2009

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • The basal forebrain, comprising magnocellular nuclei like the medial septal nucleus and basal nucleus, plays a crucial role in cognitive functions.
  • These nuclei are interconnected and contain distinct neuronal populations characterized by lipofuscin pigmentation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence and distribution of intracytoplasmic acidophilic granules in magnocellular neurons of the basal forebrain.
  • To examine alterations in these granules and lipofuscin pigmentation in the context of Parkinson's disease.

Main Methods:

  • Ultrastructural analysis of neuronal morphology and intracytoplasmic granules.
  • Quantitative assessment of granule-bearing neurons and lipofuscin pigmentation in control and parkinsonian cases.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Large multipolar neurons in the basal forebrain exhibit homogeneous, intracytoplasmic acidophilic granules, sometimes within mitochondria.
  • A topographical variation in granule-bearing neurons was observed, with the posterolateral subnucleus of the basal nucleus showing the highest percentage (54%).
  • Parkinsonian cases showed a significant decrease in granule-bearing neurons in the posterolateral basal nucleus, potentially linked to Lewy bodies, and increased lipofuscin in dendritic stems.

Conclusions:

  • The decrease in granule-bearing neurons in Parkinson's disease suggests neuronal vulnerability or death.
  • Increased lipofuscin pigmentation in dendritic stems indicates neuronal plasticity in response to disease processes.
  • These findings highlight potential cellular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease.