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Washington University Experience | NEURODEGENERATION | ALS | 20A1 ALS (Case 20) N12 H&E 40X copy
Case 20 History ---- The patient is a 65-year-old female who was doing well until August 2020 when she began to experience right lower extremity weakness and repeated falls. She also complained about memory problems. She was diagnosed with ALS in December 2020, with rapid progression of lower and upper extremity weakness over the past six months. A recent pulmonary function test showed 50% reduction in lung capacity, and she began using a home ventilator with increasing frequency. The patient was transitioned from outpatient to inpatient hospice care in July 2020 due to worsening respiratory distress. Later that evening, the patient and family decided to discontinue positive airway pressure in favor of comfort care measures. ---- At autopsy the weight of the unfixed brain was 1240g. ---- 20A1 Sections of the cervical spinal cord show reduced numbers of anterior horn motor neurons, scattered dystrophic swollen axons., and occasional Bunina bodies (arrow). (H&E)
