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The normal sural nerve in man

II. Changes in the axons and Schwann cells due to ageing

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Summary

In a combined light and electron microscope study of sural nerves of seven normal individuals, aged between 15 and 59 years, the increase with age in the number of degenerating myelinated fibres is confirmed.

Destruction of unmyelinated fibres starting early in life is reported for the first time. The sequence of events in the involution of unmyelinated fibres was found to be the budding of their Schwann cells followed by increasing evidence of their denervation and axonal sprouting.

Comments are made on the value of several direct and indirect indices of destruction of nerve fibres. The relevance of denervation and regeneration of fibres in assessing pathological change in slowly progressive disorders of peripheral nerves is emphasised.

Zusammenfassung

Durch kombinierte licht- und elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchung des N. suralis von 7 normalen menschlichen Probanden im Alter von 15–59 Jahren wird die altersabhängige Zunahme der Zahl degenerierender markhaltiger Fasern bestätigt. Eine früh im Verlauf des Lebens einsetzende Destruktion unbemarkter Fasern wird erstmals mitgeteilt. Die Verlaufsfolge in der Involution unbemarkter Fasern ist eine Sprossung ihrer Schwann-Zellen, die von fortschreitender Denervation und Axonsprossung gefolgt ist. Die Bedeutung der verschiedenen direkten und indirekten Hinweise auf die Schädigung von Nervenfasern wird diskutiert. Die Relevanz von Denervation und Regeneration von Fasern für die Erfassung pathologischer Veränderungen bei langsam fortschreitenden Schädigungen peripherer Nerven wird betont.

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  1. The Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, W.C.1, London, England

    José Ochoa & W. G. P. Mair

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  1. José Ochoa
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Read to the Queen Square Research Society, November 6th, 1967.

British Council Scholar on leave of absence from Universidad Austral, Valdivia, Chile.

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Ochoa, J., Mair, W.G.P. The normal sural nerve in man. Acta Neuropathol 13, 217–239 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00690643

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