Synaptic alterations in CA1 in mild Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment
Scheff SW, Price DA, Schmitt FA, DeKosky ST, Mufson EJ.. Neurology, 2007-05-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Objective To evaluate the total number of synapses in the stratum radiatum (str rad) of the human hippocampal CA1 subfield in individuals with mild Alzheimer disease (mAD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or no cognitive impairment (NCI) and determine if synapse loss is an early event in the progression of the disease. Methods Short postmortem autopsy tissue was obtained, and an unbiased stereologic sampling scheme coupled with transmission electron microscopy was used to directly visualize synaptic contacts. Results Individuals with mAD had fewer synapses (55%) than the other two diagnostic groups. Individuals with MCI had a mean synaptic value that was 18% lower than the NCI group mean. The total number of synapses showed a correlation with several cognitive tests including those involving both immediate and delayed recall. Total synaptic numbers showed no relationship to the subject's Braak stage or to APOE genotype. The volume of the str rad was reduced in mAD vs the other two diagnostic groups that were not different from each other. Conclusion These results strongly support the concept that synapse loss is a structural correlate involved very early in cognitive decline in mild Alzheimer disease (mAD) and supports mild cognitive impairment as a transitional stage between mAD and no cognitive impairment.
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APA 7th
Scheff, S. W., Price, D. A., Schmitt, F. A., DeKosky, S. T., & Mufson, E. J. (2007). Synaptic alterations in CA1 in mild Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000260698.46517.8f
Vancouver
Scheff SW, Price DA, Schmitt FA, DeKosky ST, Mufson EJ. Synaptic alterations in CA1 in mild Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment. Neurology. 2007. doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000260698.46517.8f. PMID: 17470753.
BibTeX
@article{scheff2007-17470753,
author = {Scheff, S. W. and Price, D. A. and Schmitt, F. A. and DeKosky, S. T. and Mufson, E. J.},
title = {{Synaptic alterations in CA1 in mild Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2007},
doi = {10.1212/01.wnl.0000260698.46517.8f},
pmid = {17470753},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000260698.46517.8f}
}
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Key findings
- Results Individuals with mAD had fewer synapses (55%) than the other two diagnostic groups.
- Conclusion These results strongly support the concept that synapse loss is a structural correlate involved very early in cognitive decline in mild Alzheimer disease (mAD) and supports mild cognitive impairment as a transitional stage between mAD and no cognitive impairment.
Why it matters
In brain tissue donated after death, people who had mild Alzheimer's disease had far fewer synapses (nerve-cell connections) in part of the hippocampus, a memory region, than people with mild cognitive impairment or no impairment. People with mild cognitive impairment averaged 18% fewer than those without impairment, and fewer synapses went along with worse memory test scores. Synapse numbers were not linked to APOE genotype or tangle stage. Because this is a one-time autopsy comparison, it shows synapse loss alongside early decline but cannot show that it causes it.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 54/100
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 (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (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 | 2007 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| 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 | 6 / 7 | Cited 828 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 39.4 citations a year over 21 year(s) since 2007 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 13.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 36 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 103 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Elliott Jay Mufson: h-index 103 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Pittsburgh: institution h-index 1,470 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 17470753) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 54 / 100 | — |
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