Reconstruction of single cortical projection neurons reveals primary spine loss in multiple sclerosis

Jürgens, Tanja; Jafari, Mehrnoosh; Kreutzfeldt, Mario; Bahn, Erik; Brück, Wolfgang; Kerschensteiner, Martin und Merkler, Doron (2016): Reconstruction of single cortical projection neurons reveals primary spine loss in multiple sclerosis. In: Brain, Vol. 139: pp. 39-46

Abstract

Grey matter pathology has emerged as an important contributor to long-term disability in multiple sclerosis. To better understand where and how neuronal damage in the grey matter is initiated, we used high resolution confocal microscopy of Golgi-Cox impregnated tissue sections and reconstructed single cortical projection neurons in autopsies from eight patients with long-standing relapsing-remitting or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and eight control patients without neurological disease. Analysis of several hundred individual neurons located in the insular, frontotemporal and occipital lobe revealed a widespread and pronounced loss of dendritic spines in multiple sclerosis cortex that occurs independent of cortical demyelination and axon loss. The presence of a primary synaptic pathology in the normal-appearing cortex of multiple sclerosis patients challenges current disease concepts and has important implications for our understanding of disease progression.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Medicine
• Subjects: 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health
• ISSN: 0006-8950
• Language: English