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Impaired salivary gland function reveals autonomic dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

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Abstract

Recent studies have revealed autonomic dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We studied salivary gland function by quantitative scintigraphy in ALS patients (n = 30) and healthy controls (n = 30). Uptake of 99mTc-pertechnetate in the parotid and submandibular glands was significantly decreased in ALS patients. No correlation was found between radiotracer uptake and regions of onset (bulbar-limb), duration of disease, or functional scores. Our data show early subclinical autonomic involvement supporting the view that ALS is a multisystem degenerative disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, University of Wuerzburg, Würzburg, Germany, Germany

    Ralf Giess, Marcus Beck, Klaus Victor Toyka & Markus Naumann

  2. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany, Germany

    Edgar Werner & Christoph Reiners

Authors
  1. Ralf Giess
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  2. Edgar Werner
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  3. Marcus Beck
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  4. Christoph Reiners
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  5. Klaus Victor Toyka
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  6. Markus Naumann
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Additional information

Received: 11 December 2001, Received in revised form: 5 March 2002, Accepted: 11 March 2002

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Giess, R., Werner, E., Beck, M. et al. Impaired salivary gland function reveals autonomic dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurol 249, 1246–1249 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-002-0820-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-002-0820-3

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