We investigated the disease progression and survival in 230 Japanese patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA; 131 men, 99 women; 208 probable MSA, 22 definite; mean age at onset, 55.4 years). Cerebellar dysfunction (multiple system atrophy–cerebellar; MSA‐C) predominated in 155 patients, and parkinsonism (multiple system atrophy–parkinsonian; MSA‐P) in 75. The median time from initial symptom to combined motor and autonomic dysfunction was 2 years (range 1–10). Median intervals from onset to aid‐requiring walking, confinement to a wheelchair, a bedridden state and death were 3, 5, 8 and 9 years, respectively. Patients manifesting combined motor and autonomic involvement within 3 years of onset had a significantly increased risk of not only developing advanced disease stage but also shorter survival (P < 0.01). MSA‐P patients had more rapid functional deterioration than MSA‐C patients (aid‐requiring walking, P = 0.03; confinement to a wheelchair, P < 0.01; bedridden state, P < 0.01), but showed similar survival. Onset in older individuals showed increased risk of confinement to a wheelchair (P < 0.05), bedridden state (P = 0.03) and death (P < 0.01). Patients initially complaining of motor symptoms had accelerated risk of aid‐requiring walking (P < 0.01) and confinement to a wheelchair (P < 0.01) compared with those initially complaining of autonomic symptoms, while the time until confinement to a bedridden state and survival were no worse. Gender was not associated with differences in worsening of function or survival. On MRI, a hyperintense rim at the lateral edge of the dorsolateral putamen was seen in 34.5% of cases, and a ‘hot cross bun’ sign in the pontine basis (PB) in 63.3%. These putaminal and pontine abnormalities became more prominent as MSA‐P and MSA‐C features advanced. The atrophy of the cerebellar vermis and PB showed a significant correlation particularly with the interval following the appearance of cerebellar symptoms in MSA‐C (r = 0.71, P < 0.01, r = 0.76 and P < 0.01, respectively), but the relationship between atrophy and functional status was highly variable among the individuals, suggesting that other factors influenced the functional deterioration. Atrophy of the corpus callosum was seen in a subpopulation of MSA, suggesting hemispheric involvement in a subgroup of MSA patients. The present study suggested that many factors are involved in the progression of MSA but, most importantly, the interval from initial symptom to combined motor and autonomic dysfunction can predict functional deterioration and survival in MSA.

We assessed the clinicopathological features of 92 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome-associated neuropathy (76 women, 16 men, 54.7 years, age at onset). The majority of patients (93%) were diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome after neuropathic symptoms appeared. We classified these patients into seven forms of neuropathy: sensory ataxic neuropathy (n = 36), painful sensory neuropathy without sensory ataxia (n = 18), multiple mononeuropathy (n = 11), multiple cranial neuropathy (n = 5), trigeminal neuropathy (n = 15), autonomic neuropathy (n = 3) and radiculoneuropathy (n = 4), based on the predominant neuropathic symptoms. Acute or subacute onset was seen more frequently in multiple mononeuropathy and multiple cranial neuropathy, whereas chronic progression was predominant in other forms of neuropathy. Sensory symptoms without substantial motor involvement were seen predominantly in sensory ataxic, painful sensory, trigeminal and autonomic neuropathy, although the affected sensory modalities and distribution pattern varied. In contrast, motor weakness and muscle atrophy were observed in multiple mononeuropathy, multiple cranial neuropathy and radiculoneuropathy. Autonomic symptoms were often seen in all forms of neuropathy. Abnormal pupils and orthostatic hypotension were particularly frequent in sensory ataxic, painful, trigeminal and autonomic neuropathy. Unelicited somatosensory evoked potentials and spinal cord posterior column abnormalities in MRI were observed in sensory ataxic, painful and autonomic neuropathy. Sural nerve biopsy specimens (n = 55) revealed variable degrees of axon loss. Predominantly large fibre loss was observed in sensory ataxic neuropathy, whereas predominantly small fibre loss occurred in painful sensory neuropathy. Angiitis and perivascular cell invasion were seen most frequently in multiple mononeuropathy, followed by sensory ataxic neuropathy. The autopsy findings of one patient with sensory ataxic neuropathy showed severe large sensory neuron loss paralleling to dorsal root and posterior column involvement of the spinal cord, and severe sympathetic neuron loss. Degrees of neuron loss in the dorsal and sympathetic ganglion corresponded to segmental distribution of sensory and sweating impairment. Multifocal T-cell invasion was seen in the dorsal root and sympathetic ganglion, perineurial space and vessel walls in the nerve trunks. Differential therapeutic responses for corticosteroids and IVIg were seen among the neuropathic forms. These clinicopathological observations suggest that sensory ataxic, painful and perhaps trigeminal neuropathy are related to ganglioneuronopathic process, whereas multiple mononeuropathy and multiple cranial neuropathy would be more closely associated with vasculitic process.

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is an adult-onset motoneuron disease caused by a CAG-repeat expansion in the androgen receptor (AR) gene and for which no curative therapy exists. However, since recent research may provide opportunities for medical treatment, information concerning the natural history of SBMA would be beneficial in planning future clinical trials. We investigated the natural course of SBMA as assessed by nine activities of daily living (ADL) milestones in 223 Japanese SBMA patients (mean age at data collection = 55.2 years; range = 30-87 years) followed from 1 to 20 years. All the patients were diagnosed by genetic analysis. Hand tremor was an early event that was noticed at a median age of 33 years. Muscular weakness occurred predominantly in the lower limbs, and was noticed at a median age of 44 years, followed by the requirement of a handrail to ascend stairs at 49, dysarthria at 50, dysphagia at 54, use of a cane at 59 and a wheelchair at 61 years. Twenty-one of the patients developed pneumonia at a median age of 62 and 15 of them died at a median age of 65 years. The most common cause of death in these cases was pneumonia and respiratory failure. The ages at onset of each ADL milestone were strongly correlated with the length of CAG repeats in the AR gene. However CAG-repeat length did not correlate with the time intervals between each ADL milestone, suggesting that although the onset age of each ADL milestone depends on the CAG-repeat length in the AR gene, the rate of disease progression does not. The levels of serum testosterone, an important triggering factor for polyglutamine-mediated motoneuron degeneration, were maintained at relatively high levels even at advanced ages. These results provide beneficial information for future clinical therapeutic trials, although further detailed prospective studies are also needed.

Background: Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by eosinophilic hyaline intranuclear inclusions in neuronal and somatic cells. Because of the variety of clinical manifestations, antemortem diagnosis of NIID is difficult. Methods: Seven skin biopsy samples from patients with familial NIID were evaluated histochemically, and the results were compared with those of skin samples from normal control subjects and from patients with other neurologic diseases. We also examined skin biopsy samples from patients with NIID by electron microscopy. Results: In NIID skin biopsy samples, intranuclear inclusions were observed in adipocytes, fibroblasts, and sweat gland cells. These inclusions were stained with both anti-ubiquitin and anti-SUMO1 antibodies. Electron microscopy revealed that the features of the intranuclear inclusions in adipocytes, fibroblasts, and sweat gland cells were identical to those of neuronal cells. Approximately 10% of adipocytes showed intranuclear inclusions. No intranuclear inclusions were identified in the skin samples from normal control subjects and patients with other neurologic diseases. Conclusions: Skin biopsy is an effective and less invasive antemortem diagnostic tool for NIID.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a devastating, progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects upper and lower motor neurons. Although several genes are identified as the cause of familial cases, the pathogeneses of sporadic forms, which account for 90% of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, have not been elucidated. Transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 a nuclear protein regulating RNA processing, redistributes to the cytoplasm and forms aggregates, which are the histopathological hallmark of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in affected motor neurons, suggesting that loss-of-function of transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 is one of the causes of the neurodegeneration. To test this hypothesis, we assessed the effects of knockout of transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 in mouse postnatal motor neurons using Cre/loxp system. These mice developed progressive weight loss and motor impairment around the age of 60 weeks, and exhibited degeneration of large motor axon, grouped atrophy of the skeletal muscle, and denervation in the neuromuscular junction. The spinal motor neurons lacking transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 were not affected for 1 year, but exhibited atrophy at the age of 100 weeks; whereas, extraocular motor neurons, that are essentially resistant in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, remained preserved even at the age of 100 weeks. Additionally, ultra structural analysis revealed autolysosomes and autophagosomes in the cell bodies and axons of motor neurons of the 100-week-old knockout mice. In summary, the mice in which transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 was knocked-out specifically in postnatal motor neurons exhibited an age-dependent progressive motor dysfunction accompanied by neuropathological alterations, which are common to sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. These findings suggest that transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 plays an essential role in the long term maintenance of motor neurons and that loss-of-function of this protein seems to contribute to the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.