OBSERVATIONS OF AMYLOID ANGIOPATHY AND SENILE PLAQUES BY THE SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPE

Blood vessels with amyloid angiopathy and senile plaques in the cortices of the brains with Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia were observed by means of a scanning electron microscope. The results obtained were as follows: The blood vessels with amyloid angiopathy were surrounded by solid substances. The senile plaques consisted of rough solid substances, contained degenerated cell processes, and almost all plaques existed around the degenerated capillaries with amyloid angiopathy. From the above described findings, we suggest that the senile plaque has an extremely close relationship to the capillary which had undergone amyloid angiopathy. © 1979 Springer-Verlag.