Widespread spinal cord involvement in corticobasal degeneration

Abstract

We examined spinal cord lesions in eight patients with a pathological diagnosis of corticobasal degeneration (CBD). Using Gallyas-Braak (G-B) staining or AT-8 tau immunostaining, a few neuropil threads were identified in the white matter of the CBD spinal cords, mainly in the anterior funiculus, whereas the posterior funiculus was well preserved without threads. In the gray matter of the CBD spinal cords, particularly in the intermediate gray matter, there were widespread neuropil threads and neuronal inclusions. Large motor neurons in the anterior horn, neurons in the intermediolateral column, and Clarke’s column were relatively well preserved from neuronal loss and gliosis. Neuronal inclusions were of the globose type, suggestive of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), or showed diffuse granular accumulations of cytoplasmic tau, suggestive of pretangles. No typical NFTs, recognized by Bodian silver staining, were identified. The distribution of neuropil threads and G-B- or AT-8 tau-positive small neurons resembled that of interneurons. No astrocytic plaques were present in any of the CBD spinal cords, and only a few coiled bodies were seen. Neuropil threads in the white and gray matter and neuronal inclusions in the gray matter were prominent in cervical segments, and their density decreased caudally. We suggest that the presence of neuropil threads, particularly in the cervical intermediate gray matter, and the presence of neuronal inclusions, particularly in cervical interneurons, is an essential pathological feature of CBD.