Abstract
ATAXIA, inco-ordination of movement and to a limited extent disturbances in muscular tonus appear to be the main neurological symptoms in scrapie disease of sheep. Such symptoms suggested cerebellar lesions and indeed lesions have been demonstrated in the cerebellum1–3, but only occasionally. Recently, an alteration has been made in our technique of taking material from the cerebellum for the routine histological examinations. Dorso-ventral sections have been taken through the middle of the cerebellum, parallel to the long axis of the brain, instead of the usual slice from a sagittal section through the vermis. Examination of such sections from nine brains of sheep affected with natural scrapie showed in each case degeneration and vacuolation of the Purkinje cells in a number of the folia of the paraflocculus (Fig. 1), while occasionally the neurones of the dentate nucleus were also affected. In the midbrains of these animals, in addition to vacuolation of the pigmented cells of the raphe, chromatolysis of the neurones of the red nucleus was a constant finding, while vacuolation was also often present. In the pons the neurones of the nucleus of the abducens nerve were always degenerated and vacuolated, but in the cells of the reticular formation changes were present in seven cases out of nine. In the medulla, lesions were found in the nuclei of the raphe, arcuate and formatio reticularis alba. Lesions of the above nuclei of the medulla have previously been shown to be constantly present in both natural and experimental scrapie3,4.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Bertrand, I., Carré, H., and Lucam, F., Rec. Méd. vét., 113, 586 (1937).
Wagner, A. R., Goldstein, H. E., Doran, J. E., and Hay, J. R., J. Amer. Vet. Med. Assoc., 124, 136 (1954).
Zlotnik, I., J. Comp. Path., 68, 148 (1958).
Zlotnik, I., J. Comp. Path., 68, 428 (1958).
Ranson, S. W., “Anatomy of the Nervous System” (W. B. Saunders Co., 1953).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
ZLOTNIK, I. Cerebellar and Midbrain Lesions in Scrapie. Nature 185, 785 (1960). https://doi.org/10.1038/185785a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/185785a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.