NERVE FIBRE DEGENERATION IN THE BRAIN IN AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS

Abstract

The distribution of degenerating myelinated nerve fibres throughout the brain and other parts of the central nervous system is demonstrated in material from seven cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Blocks of tissue were prepared by the Marchi method and celloidin sections were stained by the Loyez, Weigert-Pal and Sharlach R methods. The pattern of degeneration in the spinal cord confirmed the clinical diagnosis of the disease. Degenerating fibres were found throughout the cerebral cortex but mostly in association with the corticospinal system. In other parts of the central nervous system degenerating fibres were found in the corpus callosum, internal capsule, basal ganglia, substantia nigra, tegmentum and reticular formation. Although there are limitations to the conclusions reached from a detail study of neuropathological material there is evidence here that utilization of this type of material for anatomical studies may be of value in studying ,the functional anatomy of the human central nervous system.