Morphometric and biochemical studies of peripheral nerves in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Abstract

Phrenic nerves of 11 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis studied postmortem contained only 33% of the normal number of large myelinated fibers (9 controls; p < 0.001). In the phrenic nerves of these patients, there were 18% fewer large myelinated fibers in the distal segment than in the proximal segment (p < 0.025). The ratio of axonal circumference to myelin lamellae in large myelinated fibers in the distal segment was 34% greater than that in control fibers (p < 0.002). The proportion of acute axonal degeneration was the same at all levels (48.0 ± 13.7%). Sural nerves of 21 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis had more acute axonal degeneration and 30% fewer myelinated fibers (p < 0.05) than controls; evidence of degeneration also extended to unmyelinated fibers. The amount of axonal transport of acetylcholinesterase in 9 sural nerves determined in vitro was reduced by 24% (p < 0.05) and the apparent transport rate was reduced by 44% (p < 0.01) compared with 4 controls. These findings show that in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis a small degree of dying-back change and of distal axonal atrophy is superimposed on the degeneration of motor neuron cell bodies, and that the disease effects spread beyond the motor neurons.