title: Immunoreactive myelin basic protein in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with peripheral neuropathies.
abstract: The presence of myelin basic protein (MBP)-like material in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) usually reflects breakdown of central nervous system myelin. Immunoreactive MBP levels were measured in 70 CSF specimens from 66 patients with a variety of peripheral neuropathies. Immunoreactive MBP was present in CSF in 70% (16 of 23) of patients with biopsy-proved chronic demyelinating polyneuropathies, whereas in neuropathies producing primarily axonal damage it was present in only 22% (5 of 23). In Guillain-Barré syndrome, 45% (9 of 20) of patients had immunoreactive MBP in the CSF. We conclude that MBP-like material is present in the CSF of most patients with longstanding demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathies and probably reflects detection of peripheral nervous system P1 protein.
mesh_terms: D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
chemical_list: D004676:Myelin Basic Protein