Subcortical neurodegeneration in chorea: Similarities and differences between chorea-acanthocytosis and Huntington's disease. (April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Jia; Heinsen, Helmut; Grinberg, Lea T.; Alho, Eduardo; Amaro, Edson; Pasqualucci, Carlos A.; Rüb, Udo; den Dunnen, Wilfred; Arzberger, Thomas; Schmitz, Christoph; Kiessling, Maren; Bader, Benedikt; Danek, Adrian
• Is Part Of: Parkinsonism & related disorders. Volume 49(2018)
• Page Start: 54
• Page End: 59
• Publication Date: 2018-04
• Subjects: Subcortical neurodegenerationin -- Chorea-acanthocytosis -- Huntington's disease -- Stereology; Parkinson's disease -- Periodicals; Movement disorders -- Periodicals; Movement Disorders -- Periodicals; Nerve Degeneration -- Periodicals; Nervous System Diseases -- Periodicals; Parkinson Disease -- Periodicals; Tremor -- Periodicals; Parkinson, Maladie de -- Périodiques; Parkinson's disease; 616.833
• DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2018.01.009
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1353-8020

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc) and Huntington's disease (HD) are neurodegenerative conditions that share clinical and neuropathological features, despite their distinct genetic etiologies. Methods: In order to compare these neuropathologies, serial gallocyanin-stained brain sections from three subjects with ChAc were analyzed and compared with our previous studies of eight HD cases, in addition to three hemispheres from two male controls. Results: Astrogliosis was much greater in the ChAc striatum, as compared to that found in HD, with dramatic increase in total striatal glia numbers and the number of glia per striatal neuron. Striatal astrocytes are most likely derived from the striatal subependymal layer in ChAc, which showed massive proliferation. The thalamic centromedian-parafascicular complex is reciprocally connected to the striatum and is more heavily affected in HD than in ChAc. Conclusion: The distinct patterns of selective vulnerability and gliosis observed in HD and ChAc challenge simplistic views on the pathogenesis of these two diseases with rather similar clinical signs. The particular roles played by astroglia in ChAc and in HD clearly need to be elucidated in more detail. Highlights: Astrogliosis in ChAc by far exceeds that in HD. A pathognomonic striatal subependymal layer in ChAc is likely to be a source of proliferating astrocytes. The thalamic centromedian-parafascicular complex, subject to heavy neurodegeneration in HD, is far less affected ChAc.