Auditory brainstem nuclei in Alzheimer's disease

Serial sections of 7 Alzheimer brainstems were examined. The histopathological hallmarks were demonstrated by means of Kongo red- and silver-stained preparations. A subsequent counterstaining with a Nissl dye, allowing the cytoarchitectonical interpretation, revealed a considerable plaque formation in the central nucleus and the dorsomedial nucleus of the inferior colliculus. To a lesser degree plaques were also present in the deep layers of the dorsal cortex of the inferior colliculus. All other auditory brainstem nuclei were devoid of neuritic plaques. Neurofibrillary tangles were rarely seen. They occur in the dorsal cochlear nucleus, the periolivary region, the ventral nucleus of the lateral lemniscus, and in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus.