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Glial fibrillary acidic protein and beta A4 protein deposits in temporal lobe of aging brain and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type: relation with the cognitive state and with quantitative studies of senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles
Harpin ML, Delaère P, Javoy-Agid F, Bock E, Jacque C, Delpech B, Villarroya H, Duyckaerts C et al.. Journal of neuroscience research, 1990-12-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
The aim of this study was to compare brain glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels to the modifications of cognitive functions (Blessed test score [BTS]), the density of the main neuropathological lesions (senile plaques [SP] and neurofibrillary tangles [NFT]), and the density of the two main subtypes of beta A4 deposits (classic plaques and diffuse deposits) in a series of patients with normal aging and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type of various degrees of severity. GFAP levels (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] technique) and the densities of changes were measured in the temporal lobe of 12 women over 75 years of age. Under these conditions, the ELISA assay could determine GFAP in brain homogenates (aqueous-Triton buffer soluble extract) in a range from 2.5 ng to 600 ng per assay. Least affected patients (with a BTS of 19 and over) all ranged below 60 micrograms/mg protein. Most affected patients (with a BTS under 6) ranged above 150 micrograms/mg protein. However, interindividual variations were wide. A significant correlation between the BTS and the amount of GFAP could be found only when using the non parametric test of Spearman. There was a significant positive correlation between the amount of GFAP and the density of 1) SP, 2) NFT both revealed by Bodian's silver stain, and 3) classic beta A4 plaques shown by immunocytochemistry. On the contrary, no correlation was observed with diffuse beta A4 deposits. One case with very large amounts of diffuse beta A4 deposits without SP or NFT showed no associated GFAP reactivity. This suggests that GFAP production is a critical event in the formation of classic SP.
Key findings
- A significant correlation between the BTS and the amount of GFAP could be found only when using the non parametric test of Spearman.
- There was a significant positive correlation between the amount of GFAP and the density of 1) SP, 2) NFT both revealed by Bodian's silver stain, and 3) classic beta A4 plaques shown by immunocytochemistry.
- This suggests that GFAP production is a critical event in the formation of classic SP.
Why it matters
In temporal lobe tissue from 12 women over 75, higher levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein correlated with worse cognitive scores and with greater densities of senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles and classic beta-amyloid plaques. This is a small autopsy study describing a relationship between astrocyte protein and Alzheimer's lesions, not evidence of any treatment, cure or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
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 (Journal of neuroscience research) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Neuroscience Research: journal h-index 222 (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 | 1990 — 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 | 4 / 7 | Cited 43 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.1 citations a year over 38 year(s) since 1990 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Nicole Baumann: h-index 48 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Inserm: institution h-index 1,988 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 2079719) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
May need a subscription Unpaywall, Europe PMC and OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 10 Oct 2026), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
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. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Harpin, M. L., Delaère, P., Javoy-Agid, F., Bock, E., Jacque, C., Delpech, B., et al. (1990). Glial fibrillary acidic protein and beta A4 protein deposits in temporal lobe of aging brain and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type: relation with the cognitive state and with quantitative studies of senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Journal of neuroscience research. https://doi.org/10.1002/jnr.490270420
Vancouver
Harpin ML, Delaère P, Javoy-Agid F, Bock E, Jacque C, Delpech B, et al. Glial fibrillary acidic protein and beta A4 protein deposits in temporal lobe of aging brain and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type: relation with the cognitive state and with quantitative studies of senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Journal of neuroscience research. 1990. doi:10.1002/jnr.490270420. PMID: 2079719.
BibTeX
@article{harpin1990-2079719,
author = {Harpin, M. L. and Delaère, P. and Javoy-Agid, F. and Bock, E. and Jacque, C. and Delpech, B. and Villarroya, H. and Duyckaerts, C. and others},
title = {{Glial fibrillary acidic protein and beta A4 protein deposits in temporal lobe of aging brain and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type: relation with the cognitive state and with quantitative studies of senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles}},
journal = {Journal of neuroscience research},
year = {1990},
doi = {10.1002/jnr.490270420},
pmid = {2079719},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/jnr.490270420}
}
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4 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.