CORRELATION BETWEEN ATHEROSCLEROTIC CAROTID PLAQUE COMPOSITION AND THE NEUROPATHOLOGICAL LESIONS OF ALZHERMER'S DISEASE

• Grant number: 23/12429-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2023
• End date: November 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Claudia Kimie Suemoto
• Grantee: Maria Eduarda Pedroso Barbosa
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Background: Previous studies suggest an association between Alzheimer's Disease and thepresence of atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries. However, the association betweenatherosclerotic carotid plaque composition and the neuropathological lesions of Alzheimer'sdisease (neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles) has not been explored yet. Objectives:Correlate the neuropathological lesions of Alzheimer's disease (neuritic plaques andneurofibrillary tangles) to the size and composition of atherosclerotic carotid plaque in thematerial collected by the Biobank for Aging Studies of the University of Sao Paulo MedicalSchool. Methods: Carotid arteries will be dissected; cross-sectional slides will be made insegments of common and internal carotid arteries and each segment will be immersed in paraffinand stained using Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) and Masson's Trichrome. Each histological slide willbe photographed using a stereo microscope (SMZ 1000; Nikon). We will analyze artery stenosis,fibrous cap thickness, plaque components, and the number of vasa vasorum using the softwareAPA (Atherosclerotic plaque analyzer). We will characterize the amount of neuritic plaques inthe brain using the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease criteria; we willclassify the quantity and location of neurofibrillary tangles using Braak & Braak criteria. In thestatistical analysis, we will perform ordinal logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex,education, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, bodymass index, and sedentary lifestyle. Expected results: We expect atherosclerotic carotid plaquesize and calcification to be correlated to the neuropathological lesions of Alzheimer's disease.