Neuropathology of dementia

This article summarizes the neuropathologic changes seen in several of the more common disorders that lead to dementia. The most important, Alzheimer's disease, is characterized by the widespread development of neurofibrillary tangles and senile or neuritic plaques in the hippocampus and neocortex. Another important underlying cause of dementia is multiple infarction (so-called multi-infarct dementia), in the form of numerous cortical lesions, multiple basal ganglia lacunar infarcts, or multiple white matter infarctions. The pathologic changes associated with other forms of dementing illnesses are also briefly discussed.