Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and kuru were studied in experimental primates. Eight animals with clinical disease lasting from 1/2 to 12 1/2 months were evaluated for histological evidence of progression of the pathological triad of neuronal vacuolation, neuronal loss and fibrous astrocytosis. The first change to appear was neuronal vacuolation, in both the body of neurones and in the neuropil. Fibrous astrocytosis was found subsequent to neuronal damage and necrosis. Neuronal loss was apparent when clinical signs were present. As the clinical disease progressed, so did the severity of neuronal loss and astrocytosis. Five animals, 1 1/2-10 1/2 months after intracerebral inoculation, before they had shown any signs of clinical disease, had histological evidence of neuronal vacuolation and astrocytosis.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Significance of the biopsy site of the latissimus dorsi muscle for fiber typing.

The use of the latissimus dorsi muscle for cardiomyoplasty requires accurate assessment of the outcome of methods used to convert fast fibers to slow fibers. A knowledge of the normal distribution pattern of slow fibers within the latissimus dorsi is necessary for this endeavor. Fresh latissimus dorsi and teres major muscle tissues from seven pigs, one rabbit, two sheep, one monkey, and four dogs were studied with myosin adenosine triphosphatase staining. Fiber counts were made visually. With the exception of the rabbit, the distribution patterns were similar for all species: (1) intersegmentally--the number of slow fibers decreased steadily from the teres major to the anterior edge of the lateral segment; (2) intrasegmentally--slow fibers were more frequent in the deep layer than the superficial layer; and (3) intrasegmentally--the slow fibers tended to cluster in rosette formations around the neurovascular bundles. These patterns of distribution indicate the need for careful location of biopsies to ensure valid comparison of the amount of slow fibers in tissue before and after treatment.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Comparative anatomy and histochemistry of human and canine latissimus dorsi muscle.

Gross and histologic studies of human and canine latissimus dorsi muscle were carried out to identify anatomic and histochemical properties that may be relevant to its use as a resource muscle, particularly for heart reconstruction. In both human and canine latissimus dorsi, three distinct muscle segments were observed, differing in direction of fibers, fiber characteristics, thickness, and blood supply. The entire canine latissimus dorsi could also be separated into superficial and deep layers, whereas only the anterolateral segment of human latissimus dorsi was separated further by the neurovascular bundle. Histochemical studies suggested significant differences between the ratios of fast to slow fibers in the superior and anterolateral segments of human muscle. Variation in size, weight, and shape within and between subjects demonstrates a need for careful evaluation of the potential resource muscle.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Acute spinal injuries. A clinico-pathological study.

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Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy and intracerebral hemorrhage with special reference to the pons.

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy accounts for approximately 10% of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage, typically in the cortex and subcortical white matter. Its contribution to primary pontine hemorrhage is not known. The present study was designed to determine if amyloid angiopathy occurs in the pons and whether primary pontine hemorrhages are associated with amyloid infiltration of nearby vessels. Two groups of patients were identified. Group A included 30 patients with proven CAA in whom special blocks of the pons were taken, group B consisted of 10 primary pontine hemorrhages in whom transverse blocks were available. A congo red stain and an A4 immunohistochemical technique were used. Only 1 patient from group A and none from group B had amyloid angiopathy in the pons. It is concluded that pontine angiopathy is rare and an exceptional cause of primary pontine hemorrhage.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Herpes zoster brachial plexus neuritis.

This is the first report of brachial plexus inflammation associated with clinical herpes zoster paresis. A 78-year-old female with a 3-week history of herpes zoster of the C4, C5, and C6 dermatomes developed left upper arm monoplegia. She died from an acute myocardial infarction. Post-mortem provided a rare opportunity to study the neuropathology of herpes zoster motor involvement. Histology of the brachial plexus showed extensive lymphocytic infiltration, myelin breakdown, and preservation of axons without vasculitis. The cervical spinal cord showed perivascular lymphocytic cuffing and no anterior horn necrosis. We suggest, the brachial plexus inflammation was a distal extension of a dorsal ganglionitis. Brachial plexus neuritis may be a direct cause of reversible upper limb paresis in herpes zoster. We demonstrate the motor neuropathy is an inflammatory demyelinative process consistent with the recovery observed in a number of patients. We postulate post-herpetic neuralgia may be related to an ongoing inflammatory process.

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