The area of the brain resistant to Neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer’s disease is:
**Core Concept**
The question is testing the knowledge of the areas of the brain resistant to neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in Alzheimer's disease. NFTs are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, and they are composed of abnormally phosphorylated tau protein. The brains of individuals with Alzheimer's disease show widespread deposition of NFTs, but some areas are relatively spared.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The area of the brain resistant to NFTs is the **hippocampus**. The hippocampus is a critical structure for memory formation and is one of the earliest regions affected in Alzheimer's disease. However, it is relatively resistant to NFT deposition, and this resistance is thought to contribute to the preservation of some cognitive functions in Alzheimer's disease. The mechanism behind this resistance is not fully understood, but it may be related to the unique cellular and molecular properties of hippocampal neurons.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
* **Option A:** This option is incorrect because the **cerebellum** is not a primary site of NFT deposition in Alzheimer's disease.
* **Option B:** This option is incorrect because the **basal ganglia** are affected in various neurodegenerative diseases, but they are not characteristically resistant to NFTs in Alzheimer's disease.
* **Option D:** This option is incorrect because the **cerebral cortex** is extensively affected by NFTs in Alzheimer's disease.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
It's worth noting that while the hippocampus is relatively resistant to NFTs, it is still affected by other pathological features of Alzheimer's disease, such as amyloid-β plaques and synaptic loss.
**Correct Answer:** C.