These findings suggest that besides age, education, and genetic factors, other vascular risk factors were not associated with AD-related neuropathological changes and urge prompt actions be taken against cerebral small vessel diseases since evidence for effective prevention is still lacking.

Within South Asia, Sri Lanka represents fastest aging with 13% of the population was aged over 60's in 2011, whereas in India it was 8%. Majority of the Sri Lankan population based genetic studies have confirmed their origin on Indian mainland. As there were inadequate data on aging cytoskeletal pathologies of these two nations with their close genetic affiliations, we performed a comparison on their elderly. Autopsy brain samples of 50 individuals from Colombo, Sri Lanka (mean age 72.1 yrs ± 7.8, mean ± S.D.) and 42 individuals from Bangalore, India (mean age 65.9 yrs ± 9.3) were screened for neurodegenerative pathologies using immunohistochemical techniques. A total of 79 cases with incomplete clinical history (Colombo- 47 and Bangalore- 32) were subjected to statistical analysis and 13 cases, clinically diagnosed with dementia and/or Parkinsonism disorders were excluded. As per National Institute on Aging- Alzheimer's Association guidelines, between Colombo and Bangalore samples, Alzheimer's disease neuropathologic change for intermediate/ high level was 4.25% vs. 3.12% and low level was 19.15% vs. 15.62% respectively. Pathologies associated with Parkinsonism including brainstem predominant Lewy bodies- 6.4% and probable progressive supra nuclear palsy- 2.13% were found solely in Colombo samples. Alzheimer related pathologies were not different among elders, however, in Colombo males, neurofibrillary tangle grade was significantly higher in the region of hippocampus (odds ratio = 1.46, 95% confidence interval = 0.07-0.7) and at risk in midbrain substantia nigra (p = 0.075). Other age-related pathologies including spongiform changes (p < 0.05) and hippocampus cell loss in dentate gyrus region (p < 0.05) were also identified prominently in Colombo samples. Taken together, aging cytoskeletal pathologies are comparatively higher in elderly Sri Lankans and this might be due to their genetic, dietary and/ or environmental variations.

Background:Stress and depression shows possible links to neuronal death in hippocampus. Subiculum plays a prominent role in limbic stress integration and direct effect of corticosteroids on subicular neurons needs to be defined to assess its subsequent impact on hippocampal plasticity.Aim:This study was intended to assess apoptosis in subicular neurons of a young depressed suicide victim, where presumably stress induced excess of corticosteroids and a case of young Addison's disease with low level of corticosteroids.Materials and Method:Both bilateral adrenal glands (Addison's) and subiculum (both cases) were initially stained with hematoxylin and eosin; subicular neurons of both cases were examined for the degree of apoptosis using ‘ApopTag Kit’. Apoptotic cell counts were expressed as average number of labeled cells/mm2 and the results were analysed statistically using a non-parametric Mann–Whitney U test.Result:Apoptotic neurons were detected in the subicular region of both suicide and Addison victims, and it is statistically significant in both right and left between the cases (P < 0.05). In suicide victim, the neuronal apoptosis is considerably significant between the two hemispheres (P < 0.05), in contrast to Addison disease where the number of neuronal cell death between right and left was statistically insignificant (P > 0.05).Conclusion:The present study confirms the vulnerability of the subicular neurons to apoptosis, possibly due to corticosteroids in both ends of spectrum.

There is no uniformity in obtaining anthropological measurements of the heart. Measurementsvary according to the methods used by different authors. The normality standard for organ weights should be established in a specific reference sample for each population, as the normality values can be different under genetic and environmental influences. This study is aimed to determine the average values of quantitative anatomy of the adult heart for the Sri Lanka population using autopsy data with an attempt to determine the relationship with sociodemographic factors such as the body weight, age, gender and the body length. Designed as a descriptive cross-sectional prospective study, it was performed on fresh (unfixed) adult hearts recovered at medico-legal autopsy on deaths due to non-cardiac natural causes and miscellaneous unnatural causes for a period of one year. Systematic consecutive sampling method was used from September 2018 to September 2019. Only 122 samples (68 males and 54 females) were included from among 282 adult hearts collected during this period due to strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Average weight of the heart, thicknesses of the inter-ventricular septum, free wall of the left ventricle and right ventricle for males and females were 296.1 g, 236.85 g, 9.71 mm, 9.52 mm, 1.28 cm, 1.19 cm and 3.41mm, 3.02mm respectively. Male heart weight, interventricular septal thickness and other findings were compatible with contemporary Eastern studies. Significant association was demonstrated in the wall thickness of right ventricle with gender (P- value being 0.038).  Large scales multi centered studies to find out the normality standard for heart measurements in Sri Lankan population are recommended.