Figure 8.

Neuropathological findings in the locus coeruleus of a 45–50 year old woman heterozygous for the A431E mutation in PSEN1, a 35–40 year old man homozygous for the A431E mutation, and a normal control (45–50 years old). GFAP highlights the background reactive astrogliosis surrounding the locus coeruleus with the homozygous case demonstrating the most reactive background and increased number of astrocytes with cell body and process hypertrophy. The amyloid stain (4G8) highlights the extracellular amyloid plaques in the locus coeruleus with the heterozygote case demonstrating diffuse and compact amyloid plaques. The homozygote case demonstrates large cotton-wool amyloid plaques. The control does not have any amyloid plaques in the area. The alpha-synuclein did not reveal Lewy body pathology.