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Primary, congenital neuroaxonal dystrophy with peripheral nerve demyelination in Merino–Border Leicester × Polled Dorset lambs
Author(s) -
Hawes MC,
Finnie JW,
Jerrett IV,
Badman R,
Scott M
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/avj.12633
Subject(s) - brainstem , spinal cord , myelin , anatomy , medicine , nad+ kinase , pathology , sciatic nerve , peripheral , degeneration (medical) , myelin sheath , biology , central nervous system , endocrinology , biochemistry , psychiatry , enzyme
Case report Clinicopathological features of neuroaxonal dystrophy (NAD) in newborn, Merino–Border Leicester × Polled Dorset lambs are described. The affected lambs were unable to walk at birth and microscopic examination of brainstem and spinal cord sections revealed bilaterally symmetrical accumulations of axonal swellings (spheroids), the histological hallmark of primary NAD. The neurological deficit was also exacerbated by myelin loss and secondary axonal degeneration, particularly in the spinal cord and sciatic nerves, but also, to a more limited extent, in brainstem and spinal nerves. Conclusions Although lambs previously diagnosed with NAD have ranged in age from 2 days to 7 months, this is believed to be the first report of congenital NAD in this species. Moreover, the present cases are the only ones in which peripheral nerve demyelination has been found.