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Part of the book series: Current Histopathology ((CUHI,volume 9))

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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).

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© 1985 Janice R. Anderson

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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

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  • 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

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