Involvement of perineuronal and perisynaptic extracellular matrix in Alzheimer's disease neuropathology.

ABSTRACT: Brain extracellular matrix (ECM) is organized in specific patterns assumed to mirror local features of neuronal activity and synaptic plasticity. Aggrecan-based perineuronal nets (PNs) and brevican-based perisynaptic axonal coats (ACs) form major structural phenotypes of ECM contributing to the laminar characteristics of cortical areas. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), the deposition of amyloid proteins and processes related to neurofibrillary degeneration may affect the integrity of the ECM scaffold. In this study we investigate ECM organization in primary sensory, secondary and associative areas of the temporal and occipital lobe. By detecting all major PN components we show that the distribution, structure and molecular properties of PNs remain unchanged in AD. Intact PNs occurred in close

SUBMITTER: Morawski M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3639011 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature