Neuropathology Glossary
100 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026
neuronal loss
Reduction in the number of neurons in brain tissue, a key feature of neurodegenerative diseases.
1p/19q codeletion
Chromosomal alteration involving loss of chromosome arms 1p and 19q, defining oligodendrogliomas.
acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis
A fulminant demyelinating disease characterized by widespread white matter necrosis and hemorrhage.
alpha-synuclein
A protein that forms pathological aggregates in Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and related synucleinopa...
amyloid plaque
Extracellular protein deposits composed primarily of amyloid beta peptide, a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's diseas...
angiocentric glioma
A rare WHO grade I cortical tumor characterized by glial cells arranged around blood vessels.
astrocytoma
A type of brain tumor arising from astrocytes, classified by grade and commonly referenced in pathology reports.
astrogliosis
Proliferation and activation of astrocytes in response to brain injury or disease.
ballooned neuron
Enlarged neurons with pale, swollen cytoplasm, characteristic of Pick's disease and related tauopathies.
Bielschowsky stain
Silver impregnation technique used to visualize neurofibrils, axons, and neuritic plaques in neuropathological examinati...
binucleated neuron
Neurons containing two nuclei, often indicating cellular stress, aging, or pathological conditions.
Braak staging
A neuropathological staging system for Alzheimer's disease based on the anatomical distribution of neurofibrillary tangl...
central chromatolysis
Neuronal response to axonal injury characterized by dissolution of Nissl substance and nuclear displacement.
central neurocytoma
A benign intraventricular tumor composed of uniform small round cells with neuronal differentiation.
CERAD
Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease scoring system for neuritic plaques in dementia diagnosis.
cerebral amyloid angiopathy
Deposition of amyloid protein in brain blood vessel walls, associated with hemorrhage and cognitive decline.
chromatolysis
Pathological dissolution of Nissl substance in neuronal cell bodies following injury or disease.
chromatolytic neuron
Neuron showing dissolution of Nissl bodies due to injury or stress, indicating cellular damage or metabolic disturbance.
corpora amylacea
Spherical, basophilic, PAS-positive structures found in normal aging brain and various neurological conditions.
corpus callosum agenesis
Congenital absence of the corpus callosum due to failure of commissural fiber development during embryogenesis.
cortical tuber
Dysplastic cortical lesions characteristic of tuberous sclerosis complex, featuring enlarged dysmorphic neurons and ball...
cytoplasmic inclusion
Abnormal protein aggregates within neuronal cell bodies that characterize various neurodegenerative diseases.
cytoplasmic vacuolation
Formation of clear spaces within neuronal cytoplasm, indicating cellular stress or pathological processes.
demyelinating pseudotumor
A large demyelinating lesion that mimics a neoplasm clinically and radiologically.
dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor
A benign cortical tumor composed of oligodendroglia-like cells and neurons with a multinodular architecture.