Hydrosoluble Proteins of Edematous Human Nervous Tissue

Abstract

In edematous brain tissue, water content and sodium concentration, expressed in wet or in dry weight, are increased. Potassium content is practically unchanged. At autopsy, alterations are at a maximum in periventricular white matter (Lowenthal, 1959). After having defined edematous tissue, we wanted to study with the method described previously in our laboratory (Van Sande, 1962) the hydrosoluble proteins. We used only edematous tissue taken during neurosurgical procedure. Brain edema was diagnosed by macroscopic examinations and confirmed by optical microscope. Until now, only very few studies have been made on edematous human brain (Kyota, 1959; Cumings, 1961; Van Sande, 1962).

Work accomplished with gants from Fonds de la Recherche Medicale, The National Multiple Sclerosis Society of the U. S. A., and the Van Hinderdael Foundation.