Neuritic plaques are associated with which of the following disease?
**Core Concept**
Neuritic plaques are a hallmark of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the accumulation of amyloid beta peptides, neurofibrillary tangles, and dystrophic neurites in the brain. They are a key feature of Alzheimer's disease pathology.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
Neuritic plaques are composed of amyloid beta peptides, which are fragments of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). The accumulation of these peptides in the brain leads to the formation of insoluble fibrils that deposit in the extracellular space, resulting in the characteristic appearance of neuritic plaques under microscopic examination. The presence of neuritic plaques is a diagnostic criterion for Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common cause of dementia in older adults.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** This option is incorrect because neuritic plaques are not typically associated with Huntington's disease, which is characterized by the expansion of CAG repeats in the Huntingtin gene leading to chorea, cognitive decline, and psychiatric symptoms.
**Option B:** This option is incorrect because Lewy bodies are a hallmark of Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies, which are composed of alpha-synuclein protein aggregates rather than amyloid beta peptides.
**Option C:** This option is incorrect because Pick bodies are a characteristic feature of frontotemporal dementia with Pick's disease, which is caused by the expansion of tau protein mutations leading to the formation of intracellular inclusions.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
The presence of neuritic plaques in the brain is a key diagnostic criterion for Alzheimer's disease, and their detection can be facilitated by the use of amyloid-binding positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agents.
**Correct Answer:** C.