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Pathologic evaluation of the human suprachiasmatic nucleus in severe dementia
Stopa EG, Volicer L, Kuo-Leblanc V, Harper D, Lathi D, Tate B, Satlin A.. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology, 1999-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Sleep disruption and other circadian rhythm disturbances are frequently seen in dementia patients. In this study, we examined the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the putative site of the hypothalamic circadian pacemaker, to determine the nature and degree of pathologic changes caused by severe dementia. Neuropathologic examination indicated that among 30 patients with a clinical history of severe dementia, 22 had Braak and Braak stage V-VI Alzheimer disease, 3 had combined Alzheimer and Parkinson disease, 3 had Pick disease and 2 had severe hippocampal sclerosis. Comparisons were made with a control group composed of 13 age-matched patients with no clinical or pathological evidence of dementia or other CNS disorders. To determine the pathologic involvement within the SCN, human hypothalami were stained with: Nissl, Bielchowsky silver, thioflavin S and specific antibodies directed against vasopressin (VP), neurotensin (NT), neuropeptide Y (NPY), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), beta-amyloid (B/A4) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Pathologic damage was primarily limited to neuronal loss and neurofibrillary tangle formation. Only rare diffuse plaques were noted. The pathologic changes within the SCN were less severe than in the other brain regions. Morphometric analysis was accomplished using a stereological approach to sample the average total number of positively stained neurons and astrocytes in 10 different 0.1mm2 microscopic fields in the dorsal subdivision of the SCN. Patients with Alzheimer disease exhibited a significant decrease in vasopressin (9.75 vs 16.7, p < 0.001) and neurotensin (6.82 vs 9.63, p < 0.002) neurons, as well as a corresponding increase in the GFAP-stained astrocyte/Nissl-stained neuron ratio (0.54 vs 0.10, p < 0.009). These studies provide evidence that both vasopressin and neurotensin neurons are lost in Alzheimer disease, and that the astrocyte/neuron ratio is a reliable indicator of disease-related pathology within the SCN. Taken collectively, our data support the hypothesis that damage to the SCN may be an underlying anatomical substrate for the clinically observed changes in circadian rhythmicity that have been observed in Alzheimer patients.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Stopa, E. G., Volicer, L., Kuo-Leblanc, V., Harper, D., Lathi, D., Tate, B., et al. (1999). Pathologic evaluation of the human suprachiasmatic nucleus in severe dementia. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005072-199901000-00004
Vancouver
Stopa EG, Volicer L, Kuo-Leblanc V, Harper D, Lathi D, Tate B, et al. Pathologic evaluation of the human suprachiasmatic nucleus in severe dementia. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology. 1999. doi:10.1097/00005072-199901000-00004. PMID: 10068311.
BibTeX
@article{stopa1999-10068311,
author = {Stopa, E. G. and Volicer, L. and Kuo-Leblanc, V. and Harper, D. and Lathi, D. and Tate, B. and Satlin, A.},
title = {{Pathologic evaluation of the human suprachiasmatic nucleus in severe dementia}},
journal = {Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology},
year = {1999},
doi = {10.1097/00005072-199901000-00004},
pmid = {10068311},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/00005072-199901000-00004}
}
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 names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Neuropathologic examination indicated that among 30 patients with a clinical history of severe dementia, 22 had Braak and Braak stage V-VI Alzheimer disease, 3 had combined Alzheimer and Parkinson disease, 3 had Pick disease and 2 had severe hippocampal sclerosis.
- Patients with Alzheimer disease exhibited a significant decrease in vasopressin (9.75 vs 16.7, p < 0.001) and neurotensin (6.82 vs 9.63, p < 0.002) neurons, as well as a corresponding increase in the GFAP-stained astrocyte/Nissl-stained neuron ratio (0.54 vs 0.10, p < 0.009).
Why it matters
In brain tissue from people who had severe dementia, the suprachiasmatic nucleus showed loss of vasopressin and neurotensin neurons and increased astrocyte staining, though damage there was less severe than in other brain regions. This describes brain changes associated with dementia and does not offer a treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Study details
- Participants30
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology: journal h-index 239 (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 | 1999 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 30 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 267 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.2 citations a year over 29 year(s) since 1999 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 31 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Andrew Satlin: h-index 50 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 10068311) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
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