Neuropathological evidence of reduced amyloid beta and neurofibrillary tangles in multiple sclerosis cortex

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimers disease (AD) are neurodegenerative diseases demonstrating age-related accumulation of disability. Inflammation lasting decades is a paradigmatic feature of MS pathology that variably relates to neurodegeneration, while the accumulation of A{beta} plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) are cornerstones of AD pathology. However, few studies investigated the accumulation of amyloids in MS. We investigated A{beta} deposition and NFT density in temporal or frontal cortices derived from a large post-mortem cohort of MS (n=78) and age and sex-matched control (n=65) cases. We found reduced A{beta} burden in MS cases compared with controls, particularly in cases below 65-years-of-age. NFT were similarly reduced in MS compared to controls, notably in cases above 65 years-of-age. Higher A{beta} deposition predicted greater NFT density in MS. These findings suggest that MS-related factors may influence A{beta} and NFT deposition and/or clearance. This work highlights new therapeutic perspectives relevant for both MS and AD.