Neurofibrillary tangles with senile plaques are seen in –
**Core Concept**
Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and senile plaques are key pathological features of a neurodegenerative disorder. NFTs are composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, while senile plaques are deposits of beta-amyloid peptide. These changes are characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressive disorder leading to dementia.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The correct association of NFTs and senile plaques is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. The formation of NFTs involves the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein, which is a microtubule-associated protein. This process disrupts the normal axonal transport and leads to neuronal dysfunction and death. Senile plaques, on the other hand, are composed of beta-amyloid peptides that accumulate in the extracellular space, leading to neuroinflammation and neuronal damage. The combination of these two pathological features is diagnostic of Alzheimer's disease.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** This option is incorrect because neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques are not characteristic of Parkinson's disease, which is primarily associated with Lewy bodies and dopaminergic neuronal loss.
**Option B:** This option is incorrect because Pick's disease is a distinct neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the presence of Pick bodies, which are composed of tau protein but are distinct from neurofibrillary tangles.
**Option C:** This option is incorrect because Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with the expansion of a CAG repeat in the huntingtin gene, leading to the formation of huntingtin protein aggregates but not neurofibrillary tangles or senile plaques.
**Option D:** This option is incorrect because Lewy body dementia is a distinct neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the presence of Lewy bodies, which are composed of alpha-synuclein protein but are distinct from neurofibrillary tangles or senile plaques.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
The combination of neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques is a key diagnostic feature of Alzheimer's disease. A mnemonic to remember the key pathological features of Alzheimer's disease is "NFTs (Neurofibrillary Tangles) and SPs (Senile Plaques) - Not Lewy Bodies or Pick Bodies".
**Correct Answer: D. Lewy body dementia.**