โ Scribed by M. G. Reyes; F. Faraldi; C. S. Senseng; C. Flowers; R. Fariello
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
Using stereological techniques we have estimated the volume density of melanin and counted the number of pigmented and non-pigmented neuronal cell bodies in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra of 12 autopsied patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) who did not have inflammation or necrosis of the midbrain or clinical parkinsonism. The total number of neuronal cell bodies was 25% lower in AIDS (P less than 0.01) than in 12 age-matched controls, although the volume density of neuronal melanin did not differ from that of controls because the percentage of pigmented cell bodies was higher (P less than 0.01) and the cell bodies were more fully packed with melanin in AIDS. Also, the expected increase with age of the volume density of neuronal melanin (P less than 0.02) and the percentage of pigmented neurons (P less than 0.01) occurred in the controls but not in AIDS patients. Importantly, our histopathological examination showed unequivocal nigral degeneration with neuronal loss, small neuronal cell bodies packed with melanin, reactive astrocytosis and extra-cellular melanin in the AIDS patients but not in controls. Our study shows that a subclinical nigral degeneration is common in AIDS and could possibly explain the heightened susceptibility of some patients to drug-induced parkinsonism.
๐ SIMILAR VOLUMES
## THOMAS E WEBER The spectrum of liver disease in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the clinical impact of diagnostic percutaneous liver biopsy in this population were evaluated by a retrospective review of hepatic histology, clinical features and laboratory data in 85
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is very common in acquired immmune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) with approximately 40% of patients presenting CMV visceral involvement at advanced stage disease. The most common localizations are retinitis and gastrointestinal involvement; central nervous system disorde