Regular Involvement of Clarke's Nucleus in Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Abstract

• Morphometric study of Clarke's nucleus in 12 cases of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 12 normal control subjects showed an average 36% reduction in the neuronal population in the disease group, with involvement in each case. Histopathologic findings of cell degeneration were definite but less noticeable than in the ventral horns. The process seems likely to be similar to that affecting motor neurons but is less advanced at the time of death.