The usefulness of spatial pattern analysis in understanding the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, with particular reference to plaque formation in Alzheimer's disease

Richard A. Armstrong

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Discrete, microscopic lesions are developed in the brain in a number of neurodegenerative diseases. These lesions may not be randomly distributed in the tissue but exhibit a spatial pattern, i.e., a departure from randomness towards regularlity or clustering. The spatial pattern of a lesion may reflect its development in relation to other brain lesions or to neuroanatomical structures. Hence, a study of spatial pattern may help to elucidate the pathogenesis of a lesion. A number of statistical methods can be used to study the spatial patterns of brain lesions. They range from simple tests of whether the distribution of a lesion departs from random to more complex methods which can detect clustering and the size, distribution and spacing of clusters. This paper reviews the uses and limitations of these methods as applied to neurodegenerative disorders, and in particular to senile plaque formation in Alzheimer's disease.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)73-80
Number of pages8
JournalExperimental Neurology
Volume2
Publication statusPublished - 1993

Keywords

  • Neurodegenerative disorders
  • discrete lesions
  • spatial pattern
  • clustering
  • lesion pathogenesis

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