Abstract
The most severe denervating disorders are those due to degeneration and loss of motor nerve cells. Poliomyelitis is an example of acute anterior horn.cell disease attributable to the cytopathic effects of the virus, but is unlikely to require diagnostic muscle biopsy. In the more chronic disorders pathological changes beginning in the nerve cell body are frequently followed by gradual ‘dying back’ of the axon. These diseases include the spinal muscular atrophies and motor neuron disease. Pathologically, certain chronic peripheral neuropathies may also be anterior horn cell diseases, but, because they also show peripheral demyelination, they will be described separately (Chapter 6).
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Horton, W.A., Eldridge, R. and Brody, J.A. (1976). Familial motor neuron disease. Neurology, 26, 460–5
Alberca, R., Castilla, J.M. and Gil-Peralta, A. (1981). Hereditary amyotropic lateral sclerosis, J. Neurol. Sci., 50, 201-6
Gajdusek, D.C. and Salazar, A.M. (1982). Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. And parkinsonian syndromes in high incidence among the Auyu and Jakai people of West New Guinea. Neurology, 32 107–26
Yase, Y. (1972). The pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Lancet, 2, 292–6
Miyata, S. et al. (1983). Increased manganese level in spinal cords of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis determined by radiochemical neutron activation analysis. J. Neurol. Sci., 61, 283–93
Kurlander, H. M. and Patten, B. M. (1979). Metals in spinal cord tissue of patients dying of motor neuron disease. Ann. Neurol., 6, 21–6
Mandybur, T. I. and Cooper, G. P. (1979). Increased spinal lead content in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - possibly a secondary phenomenon. Med. Hypotheses, 5, 1313–15
Campbell, A. M. G., Williams, E. R. and Pearce, J. (1969). Late motor neuron degeneration following poliomyelitis. Neurology, 19, 1101–6
Norris, F. H. (1975). Recent advances in motor neuron diseases. In Bradley, W. G., Gardner-Medwin, D. and Walton, J.N. (eds.) (1975). Recent Advances in Myology, International Congress Series. pp. 522–36. ( Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica )
Pertschuk, L. P. etal. (1979). Jejunal mucosa in motor neurone disease and other chronic neurological disorders. In Behan, P. 0. and Clifford Rose, F. (eds.) Progress in Neurological Research. pp. 44–61. ( Tunbridge Wells: Pitman Medical Publishing )
Behan, P.O. et al. (1977). Possible persistent virus in motor neurone disease. Lancet, 2, 1176
Behan, P.O., Dick, H.M. and Durward, W. F. (1977). Histocompatibility antigens associated with motor neurone disease. J. Neurol. Sci., 32, 213–1 7
Oldstone, M.B.A., Perrin, L. H., Wilson, C. B. and Norris, F. H. (1976). Evidence for immune complex formation in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Lancet, 2, 169
Wolfgram, F. and Myers, L. (1973). Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; effects of serum on anterior horn cells in tissue culture. Science, 179, 579–80
Tsukagoshi, H. et al. (1980). Mophometric quantitation of cervical limb motor cells in various neuromuscular diseases. J. Neurol. Sci., 47, 463–72
Iwata, M. and Hirano, A. (1979). Current problems in the pathology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In Zimmerman, H.M. (ed.) Progress in Neuropathology. Vol. 4, pp. 277–98. ( New York: Raven Press )
Mannen, T., Iwata, M., Toyokura, Y. and Nagashima, K. (1977). Preservation of a certain motor neuron group of the sacral cord in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - its clinical significance. J. Neurol., Neurosurg. Psychiatry., 40, 464–9
Patten, B.M., Zito, G. and Harati, Y. (1979). Histological findings in motor neuron disease. Relation to clinically determined activity, duration and severity of disease. Arch. Neurol., 36, 560–4
Fetell, M. R. et al. (1982). A benign motor neuron disorder; delayed cramps and fasciculation after poliomyelitis or myelitis. Ann. Neurol., 11, 423–7
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1985 Janice R. Anderson
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Anderson, J.R. (1985). Motor Neuron Disease. In: Atlas of Skeletal Muscle Pathology. Current Histopathology, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4866-2_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4866-2_4
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8653-0
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-4866-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive