Madhurima Dey

• BSc (Hons) Physiological Sciences
• Quantification of white matter vasculature in post mortem brains of demented and non-demented aged individuals

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of neurodegenerative disease, characterised by the accumulation of misfolded beta-amyloid and hyperphosphorylated tau in the brain, hence causing widespread disruption in neuronal networks. Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is a frequent co-pathology in AD, which leads to the thickening of the vessel wall due to atherosclerosis, lipohyalinosis & arteriolosclerosis - this can be visualised by immunohistochemical staining and measured as white matter lesions. We aimed to quantitatively measure the vessel wall of white matter arteries and arterioles of both AD and normally aged, non-demented brains, then, in conjunction with post mortem MRI scores, quantitatively determine the severity of SVD.

Funding source: Newcastle University