Validation of the new pathology staging system for progressive supranuclear palsy
Publication: Acta Neuropathologica
Mayen Briggs, Kieren Allinson, Maura Malpetti, Maria G. Spillantini, James B. Rowe, Sanne S. Kaalund
28 March 2021
The research team validated a new system for staging brain pathology at post mortem in a devastating neurodegenerative diseases called progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).
They show that those with a higher pathology stage, i.e. more widespread pathology, at post mortem also scored higher on disease severity scales in life.
Standardised staging systems provides a common language for neuropathologists on what is considered mild, moderate and severe pathology. They can be used to test if treatments impact the severity of pathology, and make it easier to compare results between studies.
Showing that the pathology stage is associated with clinical severity, the next step will be to try and replicate the pathology staging in vivo using brain imaging, e.g. PET, to test if researchers can track pathogenesis alongside clinical disease progression.
