Frontotemporal Degeneration with Transactive Response DNA-Binding Protein Type C at the Anterior Temporal Lobe

Marek Marsel Mesulam*, Tamar Gefen, Margaret Flanagan, Rudolph Castellani, Pouya Jamshidi, Elena Barbieri, Jaiashre Sridhar, Allegra Kawles, Sandra Weintraub, Changiz Geula, Emily Rogalski

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

The anatomical distribution of most neurodegenerative diseases shows considerable interindividual variations. In contrast, frontotemporal lobar degeneration with transactive response DNA-binding protein type C (TDP-C) shows a consistent predilection for the anterior temporal lobe (ATL). The relatively selective atrophy of ATL in TDP-C patients has highlighted the importance of this region for complex cognitive and behavioral functions. This review includes observations on 28 TDP-C patients, 18 with semantic primary progressive aphasia and 10 with other syndromes. Longitudinal imaging allowed the delineation of progression trajectories. At post-mortem examination, the pathognomonic feature of TDP-C consisted of long, thick neurites found predominantly in superficial cortical layers. These neurites may represent dystrophic apical dendrites of layer III and V pyramidal neurons that are known to play pivotal roles in complex cortical computations. Other types of frontotemporal lobar degeneration TDP, such as TDP-A and TDP-B, are not associated with long dystrophic neurites in the cerebral cortex, and do not show similar predilection patterns for ATL. Research is beginning to identify molecular, structural, and immunological differences between pathological TDP-43 in TDP-C versus TDP-A and B. Parallel investigations based on proteomics, somatic mutations, and genome-wide association studies are detecting molecular features that could conceivably mediate the selective vulnerability of ATL to TDP-C. Future work will focus on characterizing the distinctive features of the abnormal TDP-C neurites, the mechanisms of neurotoxicity, initial cellular targets within the ATL, trajectory of spread, and the nature of ATL-specific markers that modulate vulnerability to TDP-C. ANN NEUROL 2023;94:1–12.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1-12
Number of pages12
JournalAnnals of neurology
Volume94
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2023

Funding

R01 AG077444 (MM); R01 AG062566 (TG), P30 AG072977 (RV) from National Institutes on Aging.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Neurology
  • Neurology

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