Clinicopathological study of dementia in the elderly who died at home: A comparison of SDAT and non‐demented subjects with SDAT changes

Forty‐eight elderly persons who resided and died at home are reported. Eight of the subjects (17%) were nondemented but had pathological changes of senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT). Each of these subjects showed numerous hippocampal neurofibrillary tangles (NFT). Five of the eight subjects demonstrated neocortical senile plaques (SP), such as typical plaques and primitive plaques with diffuse plaques, and one had NFT. The other three subjects did not have SP. The density of SP in hippocampal CA2, midbrain, pons, and cerebellum in SDAT were significantly higher than that of non‐demented subjects with SDAT changes. The density of SP and NFT in SDAT did not exceed that in non‐demented subjects with SDAT changes in the other areas. The distribution of SP in the hippocampal CA2, brainstem, and cerebellum will be useful for the histopathologic diagnosis of SDAT.