Increased incidence of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) in non-demented individuals with hypertension

• Published in: Journal of the neurological sciences Vol. 131; no. 2; pp. 162 - 169
• Main Authors: Sparks, D.Larry, Scheff, Stephen W., Liu, Huaichen, Landers, Teresa M., Coyne, Carolyn M., Hunsaker, John C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier B.V 01.08.1995; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alzheimer Disease - pathology; Alzheimer's disease; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Clinical manifestations. Epidemiology. Investigative techniques. Etiology; Coronary artery disease; Coronary Disease - pathology; Dementia - complications; Dementia - pathology; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - complications; Hypertension - epidemiology; Hypertension - pathology; Immunohistochemistry; Incidence; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neurofibrillary tangles; Neurofibrillary Tangles - pathology; Non-heart disease controls; Senile plaques; Hypertension; Non-heart disease controls; Neurofibrillary tangles; Senile plaques; Coronary artery disease; Alzheimer's disease; Human; Pathology; Central nervous system; Cardiovascular disease; Exploration; Neurofibrillary tangle; Coronary heart disease; Brain (vertebrata)
• ISSN: 0022-510X; 1878-5883
• DOI: 10.1016/0022-510X(95)00105-B

The incidence rates and numerical densities of argryophilic neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and senile plaques (SP) were determined in non-demented individuals and subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The non-AD subjects were grouped according to cardiac status; those individuals with critical coronary artery disease (cCAD), those hypertensive individuals without cCAD (HyperT), and those without heart disease (non-HD). The incidence and densities of SP and NFT were significantly greater in AD than any of the non-demented groups. The prevalence of SP was increased in both HyperT and cCAD compared to non-HD controls, while NFT occurrence was accentuated in non-demented HyperT subjects only. The densities of SP and NFT in HyperT were elevated compared to cCAD or both cCAD and non-HD controls; NFT densities were similar in cCAD and non-HD. NFT density increased with increasing age in only the non-HD and cCAD groups, suggesting a possible relationship between disease process and NFT formation in the AD and HyperT populations.