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Motor neuron disease: A primary disorder of corticomotoneurons?
Author(s) -
Pamphlett Roger,
Kril Jillian,
Hng Tien Ming
Publication year - 1995
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.880180308
Subject(s) - motor neuron , spinal cord , motor cortex , upper motor neuron , amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , neuroscience , primary motor cortex , lower motor neuron , neuron , central nervous system disease , medicine , motor system , disease , psychology , pathology , stimulation
Abstract It has been suggested that the primary site of damage in motor neuron disease (MND) is the cortical motor neuron, with secondary degeneration of spinal motor neurons. To test this hypothesis, we sought to determine if loss of corticomotoneurons in MND precedes spinal motor neuron loss. The density of corticomotoneurons was measured in 18 MND and 9 control cases using 10‐μm horizontal sections of motor cortex in the hand/arm region. The density of spinal motor neurons was measured in 10‐μm transverse sections of the lower cervical spinal cord. Corticomotoneuron and spinal motor neuron densities were decreased in MND cases compared to controls, but in MND cases there was poor correlation ( r 2 = 0.06) between corticomotoneuron and spinal motor neuron densities. The results indicate that corticomotoneuron and spinal motor neurons are lost at different rates in different MND patients, and that corticomotoneuron loss is unlikely to be a primary event in MND.© 1995 John Wiley &Sons, Inc.