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Substantial early, but nonprogressive neuronal loss in multiple sclerosis (ms) spinal cord
Author(s) -
Schirmer Lucas,
Albert Monika,
Buss Armin,
SchulzSchaeffer Walter J.,
Antel Jack P.,
Brück Wolfgang,
Stadelmann Christine
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.21799
Subject(s) - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , spinal cord , multiple sclerosis , medicine , lesion , lumbar spinal cord , pathology , lumbar , central nervous system , neuroscience , central nervous system disease , disease , anatomy , biology , surgery , psychiatry
Research in multiple sclerosis (MS) has recently been focusing on the extent of neuroaxonal damage and its contribution to disease outcome. In the present study, we examined spinal cord tissue from 30 clinically well‐characterized MS patients. MS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and control spinal cord tissue were subjected to morphometric analysis and immunohistochemistry for markers of cell damage and regeneration. Data were related to disease duration and age at death. Here, we present evidence for substantial, nonprogressive neuronal loss on the cervical and lumbar levels early in the disease course of MS. Chromatolytic neurons and immunoreactivity for c‐Jun and GAP43 were observed in the ventral gray matter in and adjacent to actively demyelinating lesions, pointing toward neuronal damage and regeneration as an early response to lesion formation. Ann Neurol 2009;66:698–704