Morphological alterations of the choroid plexus in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

Anomalies of the cerebrospinal fluid flow rate and composition that have been reported in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) could be related to alterations of the choroid plexuses (CD). Here we report a photonic and electron morphometric study in which we compared the height of CP epithelial cells and the thickness of their basement membrane on post-mortem samples from AD patients, age-matched controls and two newborns. Ageing appeared associated with epithelial atrophy and basement membrane thickening, but these features were significantly accentuated in AD. These data suggest that a dramatic alteration of the secretion and filtration could be involved in the multiparametric pathogenesis of late-onset AD.

Liver X receptors in the central nervous system: From lipid homeostasis to neuronal degeneration

“…In Alzheimer's disease, there is thickening of the basement membrane of the choroid plexus and flattening of epithelial cells. These changes are correlated with pathogenesis of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (34). Our data suggest that loss of LXR exacerbates age-related changes in the choroid plexus.…”

Molecular anatomy and functions of the choroidal blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier in health and disease

“…Clinical observations showing that the choroid plexus-CSF system is altered in Alzheimer's disease support this hypothesis [134]. An alteration of choroid plexus vascular and epithelial morphology, a decrease in choroidal synthesis and transport capacity, and a decrease in CSF secretion is observed in aging, and is exacerbated in Alzheimer's disease [132,134]. The CSF circulation plays a role in amyloid beta distribution and clearance from the brain [49].…”

Ageing choroid plexus-cerebrospinal fluid system

“…These include the ubiquitous lipofuscin (Serot et al, 2000;Wen et al, 1999), or age-pigment, that accumulates in all long-lived cell types and is considered to be a product of lipid peroxidation by oxygen free radicals (Zs-Nagy et al, 1995). From middle age, there is also a marked increase in protein inclusions, notably Biondi ring tangles in the epithelium (Eriksson and Westermark, 1986;Wen et al, 1999).…”