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Washington University Experience | NEURODEGENERATION | Multiple Systems Atrophy (MSA) | 5E2 MSA (Case 5) Medulla N8 ION 20X
The inferior olivary nucleus is atrophic but has a significant number of maintained neurons and astrocytosis. (H&E) ---- Not shown: Microscopic examination of the midbrain shows patchy neuronal loss and astrocytosis in the substantia nigra, Large numbers of glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCI) are found throughout the basal ganglia and midbrain. There are no Lewy bodies. A section of the cerebellum shows well-populated Purkinje and granular cell layers. ---- Final Neuropathologic Diagnoses: Multisystem atrophy (striatonigral degeneration); Telangiectasis, pons ---- Neuro Diagnosis Comment: The significant neuropathologic finding in this case is the presence of marked striatonigral degeneration with prominent neuronal loss and astrocytosis. This patient reportedly had prominent autonomic dysfunction as well; however, the spinal cord, containing the preganglionic intermediolateral cell column, was excluded from postmortem examination by permit, thus limiting complete clinical pathological correlation.
