White matter alterations in Alzheimer's disease without concomitant pathologies.

The present observations demonstrate that co-morbidities have an impact on WM integrity in the elderly and in AD, and that early alterations in oligodendrocytes and transcription of genes linked to myelin proteins in WM occur in AD cases without co-morbidities. These are followed by partial recovery attempts at advanced stages. These observations suggest that oligodendrocytopathy is part of AD.