[Immunohistochemical detection of fibrous astrocytes using an antiserum to glial fibrillary acidic protein in the cerebral cortex in Alzheimer's disease].

Immunohistochemical method was utilized to study the changes of the brain cortical fibrous astrocytes in Alzheimer disease with anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) antibodies. The increased number of fibrous astrocytes was found in the molecular cortical layer and in the deeper ones. Hypertrophied forms of the fibrous astrocytes were found to surround the senile plaques and blood vessels. The increase in the number of fibrous astrocytes in Alzheimer disease is thought to be accounted for by the glial filament accumulation in the protoplasmic astrocytes.