Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Inclusion bodies in a case of the classic sporadic form

Postmortem light and electron microscopic studies of a 52 year old black male who died 17 months after the onset of upper and lower motor neuron signs showed: (1) degeneration of cortico-spinal tracts, (2) loss of spinal neurons and gliosis and (3) cellular inclusions with neurotubules, neurofilaments and granular material. Although these cellular inclusions resemble Lafora bodies, they differ in that, to the authors' knowledge, the latter were not reported to have microtubules. Review of the literature revealed no previous report of these inclusions in cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Tissue cultures of cord, hindbrain and cerebrum did not show cytopathic effect during a three-week observation period.