Neuropathological findings and in vivo imaging correlates of the red nucleus compared to those of the substantia nigra pars compacta in parkinsonisms.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) is the key pathologic locus in neurodegenerative parkinsonian disorders. Recently, in vivo susceptibility MRI metrics were associated with postmortem glial cell density and tau burden in the SNc of parkinsonism subjects. This study investigated the red nucleus (RN), another iron-rich region adjacent to the SNc and a potential site of higher functionality in parkinsonisms.

Methods

In vivo MRI and postmortem data were obtained from 34 parkinsonism subjects and 3 controls. Neuron density, glial cell density, and percentages of area occupied by α-synuclein and tau were quantified using digitized midbrain slides. R2* and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) metrics in the RN and SNc were derived from multi-gradient echo i

SUBMITTER: Johnson ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11283947 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature