@article{dcef7d691a1947c3af3af9d0d470aa18,
title = "Correlation of alzheimer disease neuropathologic changes with cognitive status: A review of the literature",
abstract = "Clinicopathologic correlation studies are critically important for the field of Alzheimer disease (AD) research. Studies on human subjects with autopsy confirmation entail numerous potential biases that affect both their general applicability and the validity of the correlations. Many sources of data variability can weaken the apparent correlation between cognitive status and AD neuropathologic changes. Indeed, most persons in advanced old age have significant non-AD brain lesions that may alter cognition independently of AD. Worldwide research efforts have evaluated thousands of human subjects to assess the causes of cognitive impairment in the elderly, and these studies have been interpreted in different ways. We review the literature focusing on the correlation of AD neuropathologic changes (i.e. β-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles) with cognitive impairment. We discuss the various patterns of brain changes that have been observed in elderly individuals to provide a perspective forunderstanding AD clinicopathologic correlation and conclude that evidence from many independent research centers strongly supports the existence of a specific disease, as defined by the presence of Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Although Aβ plaques may play a key role in AD pathogenesis, the severity of cognitive impairment correlates best with the burden of neocortical neurofibrillary tangles.",
keywords = "Aging, Alzheimer disease, Amyloid, Dementia, Epidemiology, MAPT, Neurofibrillary tangles, Neuropathology",
author = "Nelson, {Peter T.} and Irina Alafuzoff and Bigio, {Eileen H.} and Constantin Bouras and Heiko Braak and Cairns, {Nigel J.} and Castellani, {Rudolph J.} and Crain, {Barbara J.} and Peter Davies and Tredici, {Kelly Del} and Charles Duyckaerts and Frosch, {Matthew P.} and Vahram Haroutunian and Hof, {Patrick R.} and Hulette, {Christine M.} and Hyman, {Bradley T.} and Takeshi Iwatsubo and Jellinger, {Kurt A.} and Jicha, {Gregory A.} and Enik{\"o} K{\"o}vari and Kukull, {Walter A.} and Leverenz, {James B.} and Seth Love and MacKenzie, {Ian R.} and Mann, {David M.} and Eliezer Masliah and McKee, {Ann C.} and Montine, {Thomas J.} and Morris, {John C.} and Schneider, {Julie A.} and Sonnen, {Joshua A.} and Thal, {Dietmar R.} and Trojanowski, {John Q.} and Troncoso, {Juan C.} and Thomas Wisniewski and Woltjer, {Randall L.} and Beach, {Thomas G.}",
year = "2012",
month = may,
doi = "10.1097/NEN.0b013e31825018f7",
language = "English",
volume = "71",
pages = "362--381",
number = "5",
}