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Axonal dystrophy in the gracile nucleus of man

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Summary

The gracile nuclei of 541 consecutive autopsies were examined. Dystrophic axons were found with few exceptions in all patients over 20 years of age. No clear relationship between the severity of the involvement, the age of the patients, chronic alcoholism, or any underlying disease process was detected. The findings were compared with those of other investigators who favor a nutritional deficiency as possible cause of the axonal dystrophy in the gracile nucleus.

Zusammenfassung

Die Nuclei graciles von 541 fortlaufenden Sektionen wurden untersucht. Dystrophische Axone wurden in fast allen Fällen im Alter über 20 Jahre gefunden. Eine eindeutige Beziehung zwischen der Schwere der Befunde, dem Alter der Patienten, chronischem Alkoholismus oder irgendeiner Krankheit konnte nicht festgestellt werden. Die Ergebnisse wurden mit denjenigen anderer Autoren verglichen, deren Beobachtungen einen Wirkstoffmangel als Ursache der dystrophischen Axone im Nucleus gracilis nahelegen.

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This study was supported in part by a grant from the Licensed Beverages Industries, Inc.

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Brannon, W., McCormick, W. & Lampert, P. Axonal dystrophy in the gracile nucleus of man. Acta Neuropathol 9, 1–6 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00688153

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00688153

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