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Neurofibrillary tangles, granulovacuolar degeneration, and neuron loss in Down Syndrome: quantitative comparison with Alzheimer dementia
Ball MJ, Nuttall K.. Annals of neurology, 1980-05-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
The degree of neurofibrillary tangle formation, granulovascuolar degeneration, and nerve cell loss was quantified in serial sections of the hippocampal formation from the brains of 5 adults dying with Down syndrome (monogolism). These morphometric results were compared with values obtained from a series of mentally normal elderly patients reported previously. Granulovacuolar change appeared to be related as much to patient age as to the existence of monogolism. By contrast, the number of Alzheimer neurofibrillary tangles and loss of pyramidal neurons from the hippocampus exceeded levels found in considerably older subjects and fell into the same range of severity as was noted in 8 patients with Alzheimer dementia. The neuron population in the hippocampus of Down syndrome patients may be only half the expected normal number for their decade. These quantitative similarities stimulate the search for a common pathogenetic mechanism underlying cerebral changes in monogolism and senile dementia of the Alzheimer type.
Key findings
- These morphometric results were compared with values obtained from a series of mentally normal elderly patients reported previously.
Why it matters
In hippocampal tissue from 5 adults with Down syndrome, the number of Alzheimer neurofibrillary tangles and loss of pyramidal neurons were as severe as in patients with Alzheimer dementia. This is a small, older quantitative comparison that suggests a shared mechanism, but it tests no treatment or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 43/100
Published in a leading specialty 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 | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Annals of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Annals of Neurology: journal h-index 437 (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 | 1980 — 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 141 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.9 citations a year over 48 year(s) since 1980 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 15.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 14 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Kern L. Nuttall: h-index 13 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Western University: institution h-index 899 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 6446875) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 43 / 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
Ball, M. J., & Nuttall, K. (1980). Neurofibrillary tangles, granulovacuolar degeneration, and neuron loss in Down Syndrome: quantitative comparison with Alzheimer dementia. Annals of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.410070512
Vancouver
Ball MJ, Nuttall K. Neurofibrillary tangles, granulovacuolar degeneration, and neuron loss in Down Syndrome: quantitative comparison with Alzheimer dementia. Annals of neurology. 1980. doi:10.1002/ana.410070512. PMID: 6446875.
BibTeX
@article{ball1980-6446875,
author = {Ball, M. J. and Nuttall, K.},
title = {{Neurofibrillary tangles, granulovacuolar degeneration, and neuron loss in Down Syndrome: quantitative comparison with Alzheimer dementia}},
journal = {Annals of neurology},
year = {1980},
doi = {10.1002/ana.410070512},
pmid = {6446875},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.410070512}
}
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