Alterations in catecholamine neurons of the locus coeruleus in senile dementia of the Alzheimer type and in Parkinson's disease with and without dementia and depression

The present study provides qualitative and quantitative investigations of the norepinephrine (NE) neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) in two neurodegenerative disorders, the senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT) and Parkinson's disease (PD). The group of PD subjects was subdivided into cases without dementia (P − D), cases with dementia, L‐dopa responsive (P + D), and cases with fulminant dementia whose motor disorder symptoms were L‐dopa nonresponsive (P + D/L‐dopa non‐responsive). NE neurons were demonstrated by immunocytochemistry against tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Quantitations of neuronal parameters and cell numbers and three‐dimensional reconstructions of the LC were carried out with a computer‐assisted system.

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