Ultrastructural and histochemical studies of cortical biopsies in subacute dementia

Summary The electron microscopic and histochemical findings in biopsies of two cases of subacute dementia have revealed neurons containing numerous lipofuscin bodies and increased acid phosphatase. Although these changes are considered to indicate neuron disease, they are believed to represent a secondary process because of their similarity and because other more distinctive cell alterations are present. In the first case, the primary abnormality is believed to be thickening of the vascular basement membrane, while in the second case, astroglial dilatation is considered a primary change. Since these structures appear to have important transport functions, these abnormalities could easily impair the nutrient supply to neurons and, in this way, produce the neuronal alteration. The significance of glycogen in these tissues is discussed.This work was supported by grant (NB-04161-04) from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness of the National Institutes of Health.