Spinal Arteriolosclerosis Is Common in Older Adults and Associated With Parkinsonism.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

There are few studies of spinal microvascular pathologies in older adults. We characterized spinal cord microvascular pathologies and examined their associations with other spinal and brain postmortem indices and parkinsonism in older adults.

Methods

We documented 3 features of microvascular pathologies in spinal cord and brain specimens from 165 deceased older participants. We also measured spinal white matter pallor. Parkinsonian signs were assessed with a modified version of the motor section of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. We examined the associations of spinal arteriolosclerosis with other spinal and brain postmortem indices and parkinsonism proximate to death using regression models which controlled for age and sex.

Results

SUBMITTER: Buchman AS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5659359 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature