Immunohistochemical study of muscle biopsy in children with cerebral palsy.
Muscle biopsy was examined in 20 children with cerebral palsy, using immunohistochemical methods for marker of denervation neural cell adhesion molecules (N-CAM) in addition to standard techniques. Histological and histochemical study showed mild myopathic changes, type 1 predominance, and type 1 and type 2 hypotrophy, in accord with previous observations. Immunohistochemical study showed N-CAM expression in most biopsies (15/20), usually in scattered fibers, whereas in four patients aged less than 6 years it was expressed in grouped fibers. Our study supports the hypothesis of motor unit remodeling as a consequence of spasticity, especially in early phases of the disease.
Marbini
Adriana
A
Institute of Neurology, University of Parma, Via del Quartiere 4, I-43100 Italy. marbini@unipr.it
Ferrari
A
A
Cioni
G
G
Bellanova
M F
MF
Fusco
C
C
Gemignani
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D001706:Biopsy; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D018656:Muscle Fibers, Fast-Twitch / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D018657:Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000209:etiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology*; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000209:etiology; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis*
D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules