Histopathological stainings and definitions of vascular disruptions in the elderly brain

Abstract Post-mortem neuropathological examination still remains an important tool not only to confirm the clinical diagnosis of the neurodegenerative dementia but also for research purposes. Cerebrovascular lesions are more and more suspected to be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer dementia (AD). In particular the occurrence of small cerebral bleeds becomes a main topic of interest. Post-mortem brain examination, using standard quantification techniques, allows to determine its bleeding load. In AD amyloid angiopathy is not the only cause of small bleeds, while in other neurodegenerative dementias the bleeding load is low and mainly related to associated disturbances of the blood–brain barrier.