Spinal cord atrophy in multiple sclerosis caused by white matter volume loss.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relative contributions of white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM) volume loss to spinal cord atrophy in multiple sclerosis (MS).


METHODS
Postmortem study of transverse sections obtained from 5 levels of the spinal cord, with measurement of the cross-sectional GM and WM areas.


METHODS
Department of Neuropathology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, England.


METHODS
Fifty-five MS cases and 33 controls.


METHODS
Size of the WM and GM areas.


RESULTS
The WM area was significantly reduced in MS cases in the upper but not the lower cord levels. The GM area was not significantly different between MS and control cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Spinal cord atrophy in MS is due to WM rather than GM volume loss.
Gilmore
Christopher P
CP
Department of Neurology, Queens Medical Centre National Health Service Trust, Nottingham, England. chris.gilmore@nottingham.ac.uk
DeLuca
Gabriele C
GC
Bö
Lars
L
Owens
Trudy
T
Lowe
James
J
Esiri
Margaret M
MM
Evangelou
Nikos
N
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001284:Atrophy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001344:Autopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors; D016622:Silver Staining; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology