[Pathology of basal ganglia in neurodegenerative diseases]

Brain Nerve. 2009 Apr;61(4):429-39.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

Intra- and/or extracellular proteinaceous inclusions in the brain tissue are characteristic pathological markers of many neurodegenerative diseases. Tau protein in neurofibrillary tangles and beta-amyloid in senile plaques are associated with Alzheimer's disease. Tau is associated with various neurological conditions, which are collectively referred to as tauopathies. Alpha-synucleinopathy is a term that collectively refers to a set of diseases in which neurodegeneration is accompanied by intracellular accumulation of alpha-synuclein in neurons or glial cells. Recently, TDP-43 has been identified as a major disease protein in the ubiquitinated inclusions in deseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration with tau-negative, ubiquitin-positive inclusions. Thus, these neurodegenerative disorders comprise a new disease class, namely, TDP-43 proteinopathy. In this article, we review the present understanding of histopathological features of basal ganglia lesions in protein conformation disorders, including tauopathy, alpha-synucleinopathy, and TDP-43 proteinopathy.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism
  • Basal Ganglia / anatomy & histology
  • Basal Ganglia / cytology
  • Basal Ganglia / metabolism
  • Basal Ganglia / pathology*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / metabolism
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / pathology*
  • alpha-Synuclein / metabolism
  • tau Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • alpha-Synuclein
  • tau Proteins