Clinicopathological study of dementia with grains presenting with parkinsonism compared with a typical case

Abstract

Argyrophilic grain disease (AGD) is one of the major pathological backgrounds of senile dementia. Dementia with grains refers to cases of dementia for which AGD is the sole background pathology responsible for dementia. Recent studies have suggested an association between dementia with grains and parkinsonism. In this study, we aimed to present two autopsy cases of dementia with grains. Case 1 was an 85‐year‐old man who exhibited amnestic dementia and parkinsonism, including postural instability, upward gaze palsy, and neck and trunk rigidity. The patient was clinically diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy and Alzheimer's disease. Case 2 was a 90‐year‐old man with pure amnestic dementia, clinically diagnosed as Alzheimer's disease. Recently, we used cryo‐electron microscopy to confirm that the tau accumulated in both cases had the same three‐dimensional structure. In this study, we compared the detailed clinical picture and neuropathological findings using classical staining and immunostaining methods. Both cases exhibited argyrophilic grains and tau‐immunoreactive structures in the brainstem and basal ganglia, especially in the nigrostriatal and limbic systems. However, Case 1 had more tau immunoreactive structures. Considering the absence of other disease‐specific structures such as tufted astrocytes, astrocytic plaques and globular glial inclusions, lack of conspicuous cerebrovascular disease, and no history of medications that could cause parkinsonism, our findings suggest an association between AGD in the nigrostriatal system and parkinsonism.