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Dementia lacking distinctive histopathology: clinicopathological evaluation of 32 cases
Giannakopoulos P, Hof PR, Bouras C.. Acta neuropathologica, 1995-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
We report the neuropathological findings in 32 patients, aged 46-86 years, with dementia lacking distinctive histopathology. All of the patients were classified clinically as having Pick's or atypical Pick's disease, but the routine neuropathological evaluation showed no specific histopathological changes such as Pick bodies, senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles or Lewy bodies. In 50% of the cases the first symptoms appeared before 65 years of age. However, there were 9 patients with onset in the eighth decade. Positive family history was found only in 6 presenile cases. The retrospective evaluation of the clinical records revealed the consistent presence of "frontal" symptomatology, including loss of personal awareness, inappropriate euphoria and stereotyped behavior. Speech disorders were observed in 80% of the cases, whereas temporospatial disorientation and memory impairment were less frequent. Praxis and gnosis were strikingly preserved in most of the cases. The macroscopic neuropathological examination revealed frontal or temporopolar atrophy in 97% of the cases, while the hippocampus and subcortical structures were relatively spared in the majority of the cases. Histologically, four groups were recognized. Group A showed moderate to severe neuron loss and gliosis in the frontal and/or temporopolar cortex without subcortical involvement. In group B, the neocortical cell loss was widespread, and the striatum and substantia nigra displayed differential degrees of gliosis but no neuron loss. Group C patients showed a lesion distribution comparable to that observed in group B but with severe neuron loss in at least one subcortical region. Four cases formed group D, which was characterized by the preservation of the pyramidal neurons in the neocortex and variable subcortical changes. Despite these differences in the topography of pathological changes, all of the cases shared a similar clinical profile. These findings further demonstrate the epidemiological and neuropathological heterogeneity of dementia lacking distinctive histopathology. Furthermore, they suggest that the same clinical manifestations may correspond to several distinct pathological processes in this condition.
Key findings
- The retrospective evaluation of the clinical records revealed the consistent presence of "frontal" symptomatology, including loss of personal awareness, inappropriate euphoria and stereotyped behavior.
- The macroscopic neuropathological examination revealed frontal or temporopolar atrophy in 97% of the cases, while the hippocampus and subcortical structures were relatively spared in the majority of the cases.
- These findings further demonstrate the epidemiological and neuropathological heterogeneity of dementia lacking distinctive histopathology.
- Furthermore, they suggest that the same clinical manifestations may correspond to several distinct pathological processes in this condition.
Why it matters
This clinicopathological evaluation of 32 patients with dementia lacking distinctive histopathology found frontal or temporopolar atrophy in 97% of cases, with hippocampus and subcortical structures relatively spared in most cases. The findings further demonstrate the epidemiological and neuropathological heterogeneity of these dementias.
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Study details
- Participants32
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Acta neuropathologica) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Acta Neuropathologica: journal h-index 287 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1995 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 32 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 73 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.2 citations a year over 33 year(s) since 1995 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Constantin Bouras: h-index 78 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai: institution h-index 1,331 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 7610766) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Giannakopoulos, P., Hof, P. R., & Bouras, C. (1995). Dementia lacking distinctive histopathology: clinicopathological evaluation of 32 cases. Acta neuropathologica. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00309628
Vancouver
Giannakopoulos P, Hof PR, Bouras C. Dementia lacking distinctive histopathology: clinicopathological evaluation of 32 cases. Acta neuropathologica. 1995. doi:10.1007/bf00309628. PMID: 7610766.
BibTeX
@article{giannakopoulos1995-7610766,
author = {Giannakopoulos, P. and Hof, P. R. and Bouras, C.},
title = {{Dementia lacking distinctive histopathology: clinicopathological evaluation of 32 cases}},
journal = {Acta neuropathologica},
year = {1995},
doi = {10.1007/bf00309628},
pmid = {7610766},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00309628}
}
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