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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Observations on the topographical relations of spinal nerve roots in the rat.

The spinal cord along with the ventral and dorsal roots (C1-S4) were dissected out in 10 male and 5 female CF rats. The vertebral levels of origin and exit of the spinal nerve roots and termination of the spinal cord were recorded. It was observed that from the mid-cervical to the sacral region, the roots arose increasingly at cranial levels compared to their levels of exit. This disparity was at its maximum in the lumbar and sacral segments. The spinal cord terminated between the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae. There was no sexual dimorphism either at the level of termination of the cord or at the levels of origin and exit of origin and exit of the various nerve roots.

Animals

Nerve roots and spinal nerves in degenerative disk disease.

After 43 years of investigating the intervertebral disk, the long term results of the management of patients from the standpoint of pain are not significantly different than they were prior to the identification of the herniated disk nor do they seem to be significantly different than no treatment at all. This should at least suggest that the phenomena of low back pain is far more complex than can be accounted for on the basis of a simple mechanical-pressure theory of disk derangement. There is a significant volume of literature that would point to the neural tissues themselves as the most logical structures for future research that attempts to interfere with the natural history of this disease from the standpoint of pain. It seems most appropriate to attack lumbar disk disease from this standpoint because except in uncommon cases, the pathological process is benign and self limiting. It also seems logical that major advancements in the management of "diskogenic" back pain will depend upon an appreciation of the importance of controlling neural inflammation in the early phases of the disease rather than developing new techniques of managing irreversible neural lesions and their iatrogenetic or psychiatric sequelae.

Acute Disease

Studies of human and bovine spinal nerve roots and the outgrowth of CNS tissues into the nerve root entry zone.

The outpouching of CNS tissues into the entering spinal nerve roots was documented by light and electron microscopy of human and bovine tissues. Astrocytic processes containing large bundles of glial filaments were very prominent in the nerve entry zone and extended for short distances into the adjacent endoneurium of the spinal nerve roots. Antiserum raised to glial acidic fibrillary (GFA) protein stained these glial elements, thereby characterizing the dome-shaped evaginations of CNS tissues into the nerve root entry zones. Antisera to CNS basic protein showed enhanced staining in the nerve entry zone. Analyses of nerve proteins by SDS gel electrophoresis disclosed a prominent 49,000 MW protein in the bovine and human nerve root entry zone. This protein was also prominent in spinal cord white matter, but was not seen in nerve roots which were not admixed with glial tissues. This finding supported the view that a 49,000 MW protein is a glial filaments but is not a component of bovine or human neurofilaments.

Animals

Ectopic generation of impulses and cross-talk in spinal nerve roots of "dystrophic" mice.

In "dystrophic" mice, many spinal root axons are bare and closely apposed to one another in midroot. The direction of nerve impulse traffic in lubosacral spinal nerve roots was determined by biphasic recording of spontaneous activity. In normal mice, impulse traffic in dorsal and ventral roots is directed toward and away from the spinal cord, respectively. However, in spinal root fibers of dystrophic mice, impulses also originate in midroot and are propagated toward both the spinal cord and the periphery. Impulses originate in midroot as single isolated events, in bursts at frequencies of up to 100 Hz, or as continuous activity persisting for several minutes in single fibers. Ectopically arising activity in some single fibers is consistently associated with transmission of an impulse in another fiber past the site of origin of the ectopically arising impulse. Thus impulses arise in the spinal root axons of dystrophic mice both spontaneously and as a result of cross-talk between single fibers.

Animals

Glial outgrowth and central-type myelination of regenerating axons in spinal nerve roots following transection and suture: light and electron microscopic study in the pig.

Glial bundles growing out of the spinal cord were observed in spinal nerve roots in the pig after their section and surgical repair. The heterotopic occurrence of glial cells, most of which were identified as astrocytes, was more frequent and more pronounced in dorsal than in ventral roots. Several of the glial bundles contained regenerated myelinated axons. These were probably myelinated by cells which showed the typical cytological criteria for oligodendrocytes and the mode of myelination was clearly of central type. It was concluded that the glial outgrowth is induced by degeneration and regeneration of axons passing the central-peripheral transition zone.

Animals

[Selective cooling of the spinal cord and spinal nerve roots in patients with spastic and pain syndromes].

Selective cooling of the spinal cord and its roots was applied in 26 patients with a high degree of muscle spasticity of various genesis and in 12 of those with various pain syndromes. Hypothermia was conducted by the open and closed (puncture) methods. The subarachnoid space was cooled to 11--7.5 degrees C. Spasticity diminished to grade I--II in 15 patients and to grade III in 9; in 2 patients it did not change. In 3 of 12 patients the sensation of phantom and pain were completely relieved, marked improvement occurred in 6 patients, while in 3 patients the effect proved short-lived or doubtful.

Evoked Potentials

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (neuroepithelioma) of spinal nerve root -- Report of an adult case and establishment of a cell line.

A case of primitive neuroectodermal tumor arising in the cervical nerve root of a 28-year-old man is presented. Histologically, the tumor was characterised by proliferation of primitive neuroectodermal cells and formation of numerous Homer-Wright type rosettes. A cell line (Nagai line) was established from the tumor. Electron microscopic examination of Nagai cells revealed numerous microrosette formation with microvilli-like cytoplasmic processes projecting into the central lumina. Neurosecretory granules appeared in the cytoplasmic processes when Nagai cells were treated with dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Primitive satellite cells which completely surrounded other tumor cells with their tongue-like slender cytoplasmic processes were also found. Histogenesis of this unique tumor was discussed comparing with the neuroblastoma of sympathetic nervous system, medulloblastoma of the central nervous system, and with the tumors induced by Adenovirus type 12 in animals. It was concluded that the tumor was neuroepithelioma derived from a primitive stem cell of neural crest origin which possesses the bipotency to differentiate toward either neuroblastic or neurilemmal line.

Adult

The anatomy of the lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome.

Four elements of the nervous system may be involved in the production of the lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome. These are the lumbosacral nerve roots, the spinal nerves, the dorsal rami and the sinuvertebral nerves. Each nerve is associated with a particular group of pathological conditions which may irritate the nerve and produce symptoms. The anatomy of each nerve determines which particular conditions may irritate it. Moreover, one or both of two mechanisms may be involved in symptom production. The type of nerve irritated determines which mechanism is involved. In the first mechanism, low back pain and referred lower limb symptoms are produced when afferent fibres from dorsal and ventral rami are stimulated where they pass in common through spinal nerves or nerve roots. In the second mechanism, dorsal rami or sinuvertebral nerves are stimulated. This directly produces low back pain, but referred pain is produced by reflex mechanisms in the spinal cord.

Back Pain

Organization of peripheral nerves and spinal roots of the Atlantic stingray, Dasyatis sabina.

1. The sizes and numbers of axons in peripheral nerves and spinal roots were investigated in the stingray, Dasyatis sabina. 2. The axons of the dorsal and ventral roots do not mingle in peripheral nerves of this animal as they do in higher vertebrates. Thus, it was usually possible to split the peripheral nerve into two portions, one containing only dorsal root axons, the other containing only ventral root axons. This feature was useful for the analysis of certain aspects of spinal cord organization. 3. The fact that dorsal and ventral root axons were segregated in peripheral nerves enabled us to demonstrate, without experimental surgery, that the central processes of the dorsal root ganglion cells and the proximal ventral root axons were 10-20% narrower, on the average, than the distal processes of the same dorsal root ganglion cells or the distal parts of the same ventral root axons. 4. The stingray is remarkable in having very few unmyelinated axons in the dorsal roots, ventral roots, or peripheral nerves. This paucity of unmyelinated axons distinguishes the Atlantic stingrays from all other vertebrates whose roots and nerves have been examined for unmyelinated fibers. 5. Similar findings were obtained for one spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) and two cow-nose rays (Rhinoptera bonasus).

Animals

Neurologic disturbances in Paget disease of bone: response to calcitonin.

The neurologic manifestations of Paget disease and the therapeutic effect of calcitonin were studied in 49 patients. Twenty-four patients (49%) had neurologic disorders involving cranial nerves other than the auditory system, brainstem, spinal cord, or spinal roots and nerves. Eighteen of the 24 patients (75%) showed significant subjective or objective improvement after calcitonin treatment. The effect of calcitonin treatment on spinal cord compression was dramatic in three of six patients. The observations made of these patients support previous data suggesting that the neurologic signs and symptoms of Paget disease have their pathogenesis in both mechanical impingement and vascular distortion. The importance of early detection of neurologic signs and symptoms is emphasized, since prompt treatment with calcitonin may prevent severe complications.

Aged

The influence of protein-calorie malnutrition on the development of internodal segments. A study on peripheral nerve and spinal roots in rats.

The current investigation comprised normal young rats as well as rats submitted to a 50% food reduction or severe protein restriction. Isolated nerve fibres from lumbar spinal roots and sciatic nerves were investigated with reference to the relation between length and diameter of internodes as well as variation of internodal length along single nerve fibres. The present results do not support the view that protein-calorie malnutrition should cause neuropathy. Internodal segments were, on an average, shorter in relation to their thickness in young rats submitted to severe protein restriction or a 50% food reduction. The deviation was most marked in low-protein animals and particularly among coarser internodal segments. An inhibition of longitudinal growth was considered to be the main factor behind the difference between malnourished and normal rats.

Animals

A light and electron microscope study of changes occurring at the cut ends following section of the dorsal roots of rat spinal nerves.

Rat dorsal spinal nerve roots were cut; 20 h later the axons in the vicinity of the cut were examined by light and electron microscopy. The changes in the cut tip distant from the ganglion were largely degenerative. On the ganglionic side of the cut a cap of free unmyelinated sprouts was formed. These sprouts contained clear and dense-core vesicles 40-150 nm in diameter, smooth endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. Some of the unmyelinated sprouts were extensions of myelinated axons, others arose from myelinated axons by lateral budding. In both myelinated and non-myelinated axons there was an accumulation of mitochondria, tubulo-vesicular smooth endoplasmic reticulum and large and small dense-core vesicles for a distance of approximately 500 mum behind the tip. Dense-core vesicles were more common in non-myelinated axons than in their myelinated counterparts. In areas of intense accumulation the non-myelinated fibres were grossly swollen and distorted. The myelinated axons and some of the sprouts contained an unusual type of mitochondrion. The similarity between these sprouts and pre-synaptic terminals is discussed.

Animals

Multiple meningeal diverticula and cysts associated with duplications of the sheaths of spinal nerve posterior roots.

Multiple diverticula and cysts of the meninges were found during an anatomical dissection. They were associated with duplications of sheaths of the posterior roots of the spinal nerves. The diverticula and cysts appeared as simple flaccid corrugated dilatations of the sheaths, as ampullary expansions, as pediculated cysts, or as saccular dilatations of different sizes and locations. The duplication of the sheaths affected posterior roots of the thoracic nerves only. Some variations of the sheaths described in the literature are discussed. The possibility is considered that both conditions result from the same pathological factors in the embryo.

Adult