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Filamentous alpha-synuclein inclusions link multiple system atrophy with Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies
Spillantini MG, Crowther RA, Jakes R, Cairns NJ, Lantos PL, Goedert M.. Neuroscience letters, 1998-07-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Alpha-synuclein forms the major component of Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, the defining neuropathological characteristics of Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Here we show that alpha-synuclein is also the major component of the filamentous inclusions of multiple system atrophy which comprises several neurodegenerative diseases with a shared filamentous pathology in nerve cells and glial cells. These findings provide an unexpected link between multiple system atrophy and Lewy body disorders and establish that alpha-synucleinopathies constitute a major class of human neurodegenerative disorder.
Key findings
- These findings provide an unexpected link between multiple system atrophy and Lewy body disorders and establish that alpha-synucleinopathies constitute a major class of human neurodegenerative disorder.
Why it matters
This study found that the protein alpha-synuclein is the main building block of the filamentous clumps seen in multiple system atrophy, as well as in Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. This links these conditions as related alpha-synuclein disorders, but it does not test any treatment or cure.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 53/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neuroscience letters) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Neuroscience Letters: journal h-index 267 (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 | 1998 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 7 / 7 | Cited 1,028 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 34.3 citations a year over 30 year(s) since 1998 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 22.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 18 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 107 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Michel Goedert: h-index 147 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Cambridge: institution h-index 1,973 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 9726379) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 53 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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
Spillantini, M. G., Crowther, R. A., Jakes, R., Cairns, N. J., Lantos, P. L., & Goedert, M. (1998). Filamentous alpha-synuclein inclusions link multiple system atrophy with Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Neuroscience letters. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-3940(98)00504-7
Vancouver
Spillantini MG, Crowther RA, Jakes R, Cairns NJ, Lantos PL, Goedert M. Filamentous alpha-synuclein inclusions link multiple system atrophy with Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Neuroscience letters. 1998. doi:10.1016/s0304-3940(98)00504-7. PMID: 9726379.
BibTeX
@article{spillantini1998-9726379,
author = {Spillantini, M. G. and Crowther, R. A. and Jakes, R. and Cairns, N. J. and Lantos, P. L. and Goedert, M.},
title = {{Filamentous alpha-synuclein inclusions link multiple system atrophy with Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies}},
journal = {Neuroscience letters},
year = {1998},
doi = {10.1016/s0304-3940(98)00504-7},
pmid = {9726379},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-3940(98)00504-7}
}
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