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Axonal swellings in human intramuscular nerves
Author(s) -
Alderson Kathy
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.880151111
Subject(s) - axonal degeneration , medicine , anatomy , neurofilament , motor neuron , pathology , axon , disease , immunohistochemistry
The presence, morphology, distribution, and abundance of axonal swellings in intramuscular nerves were evaluated. Axonal swellings were present in intramuscular nerves in 42% of 127 muscle biopsies from patients with a variety of conditions. The incidence was highest in muscle from patients with peripheral neuropathy, but swellings were present in muscle from patients with motor neuron disease, primary muscle diseases, and some individuals without clinical or histological evidence of neuromuscular disease. The greatest number of swellings in intramuscular nerves was in muscle from patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy. Swellings were spherical or elliptical, 4–20 μm in diameter, 5–30 μm in length, and composed of neurofilaments. Swellings were present only in myelinated axons of intramuscular nerves, proximal to nodes of Ranvier or in internodal regions. Swellings were not associated with axonal degeneration. They were probably not transported. The formation or accumulation of swellings may reflect altered axonal dynamics common to a number of disease processes. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.