A community-based study of chronic fatigue syndrome

BACKGROUND

Most previous estimates of the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have derived largely from treated populations, and have been biased by differential access to health care treatment linked with sex, ethnic identification, and socioeconomic status.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the point prevalence of CFS in an ethnically diverse random community sample.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

A sample of 28,673 adults in Chicago, Ill, was screened by telephone, and those with CFS-like symptoms were medically evaluated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES AND ANALYSES: Self-report questionnaires, psychiatric evaluations, and complete medical examinations with laboratory testing were used to diagnose patients with CFS. Univariate and multivariate statistical techniques were used to delineate the overall rate of CFS in this population, and its relative prevalence was subcategorized by sex, ethnic identification, age, and socioeconomic status.

RESULTS

There was a 65.1% completion rate for the telephone interviews during the first phase of the study. Findings indicated that CFS occurs in about 0.42% (95% confidence interval, 0.29%-0.56%) of this random community-based sample. The highest levels of CFS were consistently found among women, minority groups, and persons with lower levels of education and occupational status.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a common chronic health condition, especially for women, occurring across ethnic groups. Earlier findings suggesting that CFS is a syndrome primarily affecting white, middle-class patients were not supported by our findings.

Estimating the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome among nurses

The present study assessed the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in a sample of nurses. There is a paucity of studies on the prevalence of CFS in healthcare professionals. Two samples of nurses were recruited through mailed questionnaires. Data were collected on demographic characteristics and symptoms. In addition from the sample, those nurses with CFS-like symptoms were more comprehensively evaluated using a structured clinical interview and reviewing their medical records. A physician review team estimated the prevalence of CFS to be 1,088 per 100,000. These findings suggest that nurses might represent a high-risk group for this illness, possibly due to occupational stressors such as exposure to viruses in the work setting, stressful shift work that is disruptive to biologic rhythms, or to other possible stressors in the work settings (e.g., accidents).

Survival rates among children with severe neurologic disabilities

BACKGROUND

This study was done to determine survival rates in subpopulations of severely neurologically disabled children who reside in pediatric skilled nursing facilities and to compare these survival rates with those in previously published studies.

METHODS

Data were collected at three pediatric skilled nursing facilities over the 1986 to 1996 decade. The total study population numbered 447. We studied in detail six groups of the most severely disabled children and correlated their survival rates with clinical parameters and the presence of other significant diseases.

RESULTS

The survival rates in our six groups of severely disabled children were significantly better than those previously reported. In group 1, our 8-year survival rate was 66%, as compared with 5% in the previous study. In group 2, our 8-year survival rate was 89%, versus 22% in the previous study. We obtained better survival rates in all six groups studied, irrespective of the analysis including children less than 1 year old, between 1 year and 15 years old, or more than 15 years old. The most significant determinant for reduced survival was the presence of other significant diseases. Those with other significant diseases had a 10-year survival rate of 45%, whereas those who were relatively healthy had a survival rate of 90%. Patients who received gastrostomy tube feedings had a better 10-year survival rate than those fed by nasogastric tube (78% vs 41%). This difference was independent of the presence of other significant medical diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show substantially better survival rates than those previously reported. These improved results are most likely related to much more intense medical management of severely disabled children in skilled nursing facilities than at home or in other residential settings. Our study also showed a significantly better survival rate for those fed by gastrostomy tube as compared with nasogastric tube.

Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment of children with autism

Since autism has been associated with immunologic abnormalities suggesting an autoimmune cause of autistic symptoms in a subset of patients, this study was undertaken to investigate whether intravenous immunoglobulin (i.v.Ig) would improve autistic symptoms. Ten autistic children with immunologic abnormalities, demonstrated on blood tests, were enrolled in this study. Their ages ranged from 4 to 17 years, with two girls and eight boys. Eight children (1 female and 7 male) historically had undergone autistic regression. Intravenous immunoglobulin, 200 to 400 mg/kg, was administered every 6 weeks for an intended treatment program of four infusions. In five children, there was no detectable change in behavior during the treatment program. In four children, there was a mild improvement noted in attention span and hyperactivity. In none of these children did the parents feel that the improvement was sufficient to warrant further continuation of the infusions beyond the termination of the program. Only in one child was there a very significant improvement, with almost total amelioration of autistic symptoms over the time period of the four infusions. Once the treatment program was completed, this child gradually deteriorated over a 5-month time period and fully reverted to his previous autistic state. In this treatment program, five children had no response to intravenous immunoglobulin. In the four children who showed mild improvements, those improvements may simply have been due to nonspecific effects of physician intervention and parental expectation (ie, placebo effect). However, in one child there was a very significant amelioration of autistic symptoms. There were no distinguishing historic or laboratory features in this child who improved. Given a positive response rate of only 10% in this study, along with the high economic costs of the immunologic evaluations and the intravenous immunoglobulin treatments, the use of intravenous immunoglobulin to treat autistic children should be undertaken only with great caution, and only under formal research protocols.

Meeting the frustrations of chronic fatigue syndrome

Patients face long-term disability, a variable prognosis, and too often, skeptical or misinformed doctors. Physicians lack laboratory markers or definitive treatment. Nevertheless, the diagnosis can be made with confidence by applying established diagnostic criteria- and selected laboratory studies to exclude other disorders-while symptomatic medication can provide support until recovery begins.

Antimuscle and anti-CNS circulating antibodies in chronic fatigue syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients suffer from disabling physical and mental fatigue. Circulating autoimmune antibodies may produce symptoms of muscular fatigue by reacting with acetylcholine receptors or calcium binding channels. They can also produce mental status changes by reacting with central nervous system (CNS) antigens. We thoroughly investigated the presence of circulating antimuscle and anti-CNS antibodies in 10 CFS patients and 10 controls. We were unable to detect any pathogenic antibodies.

Amantadine and L-carnitine treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Carnitine is essential for mitochondrial energy production. Disturbance in mitochondrial function may contribute to or cause the fatigue seen in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) patients. Previous investigations have reported decreased carnitine levels in CFS. Orally administered L-carnitine is an effective medicine in treating the fatigue seen in a number of chronic neurologic diseases. Amantadine is one of the most effective medicines for treating the fatigue seen in multiple sclerosis patients. Isolated reports suggest that it may also be effective in treating CFS patients. Formal investigations of the use of L-carnitine and amantadine for treating CFS have not been previously reported. We treated 30 CFS patients in a crossover design comparing L-carnitine and amantadine. Each medicine was given for 2 months, with a 2-week washout period between medicines. L-Carnitine or amantadine was alternately assigned as fist medicine. Amantadine was poorly tolerated by the CFS patients. Only 15 were able to complete 8 weeks of treatment, the others had to stop taking the medicine due to side effects. In those individuals who completed 8 weeks of treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in any of the clinical parameters that were followed. However, with L-carnitine we found statistically significant clinical improvement in 12 of the 18 studied parameters after 8 weeks of treatment. None of the clinical parameters showed any deterioration. The greatest improvement took place between 4 and 8 weeks of L-carnitine treatment. Only 1 patient was unable to complete 8 weeks of treatment due to diarrhea. L-Carnitine is a safe and very well tolerated medicine which improves the clinical status of CFS patients. In this study we also analyzed clinical and laboratory correlates of CFS symptomatology and improvement parameters.

Deficiency of a neuronal growth-sustaining factor in fibroblasts of patients with Alzheimer's disease

A previous report has shown a deficiency of a cholinergic differentiating factor in spent culture media in which Alzheimer's disease (AD) patient fibroblasts were grown (Kessler, 1987). We used a similar approach to investigate whether AD fibroblast-conditioned medium demonstrated central nervous system (CNS) neuronal growth sustaining properties. For these investigations we used cultured fetal murine telencephalic vesicle neurons. Control fibroblast-conditioned medium produced statistically significant neuronal survival as compared to AD fibroblast-conditioned medium or to nonconditioned medium. There was no statistically significant difference between AD fibroblast-conditioned medium and nonconditioned medium results. These results suggest that there may be a deficiency in AD of a CNS neuronal growth-sustaining factor.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (myalgic encephalopathy)

Chronic fatigue syndrome is associated with many misconceptions. In this review, we attempt to summarize various pathogenic hypotheses for this disease and discuss new lines of insight into causes and treatments of this baffling and most frustrating condition.

Estimating rates of chronic fatigue syndrome from a community-based sample: a pilot study

Most of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) epidemiological studies have relied on physicians who refer patients having at least six months of chronic fatigue and other symptoms. However, there are a number of potential problems when using this method to derive prevalence statistics. For example, some individuals with CFS might not have the economic resources to access medical care. Other individuals with CFS might be reluctant to use medical personnel, particularly if they have encountered physicians skeptical of the authenticity of their illness. In addition, physicians that are skeptical of the existence of CFS might not identify cases. In the present pilot study, a random community sample (N = 1,031) was interviewed by telephone in order to identify and comprehensively evaluate individuals with symptoms of CFS and those who self-report having CFS. Different definitions of CFS were employed, and higher rates (0.2%) of CFS were found than in previous studies. Methodological benefits in using more rigorous epidemiological methods when estimating CFS prevalence rates are discussed.

Electron-microscopic investigation of muscle mitochondria in chronic fatigue syndrome

Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) suffer from disabling physical and mental fatigue. Abnormalities in mitochondrial function can lead to fatigue and weakness. Ultrastructural mitochondrial abnormalities have been reported to be present in CFS patients. We obtained percutaneous needle muscle biopsies from 15 CFS patients and 15 age- and sex-matched controls. We investigated previously reported ultrastructural abnormalites in CFS: subsarcolemmal mitochondrial aggregates, intermyofibrillar mitochondrial aggregates, mitochondrial circumference, area, pleomorphism and the presence of compartmentalization of the inner mitochondrial membrane. All of the steps of tissue processing, electron microscopy and data abstracting and analysis were performed in a totally blinded fashion. All of our data were rigorously quantified. We found no difference in any of these studied parameters between CFS patients and controls. Although there is no ultrastructural mitochondrial abnormality in CFS patients, other lines of evidence suggest the presence of a possible functional mitochondrial abnormality.

Serum levels of carnitine in chronic fatigue syndrome: clinical correlates

Carnitine is essential for mitochondrial energy production. Disturbance in mitochondrial function may contribute to or cause the fatigue seen in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients. One previous investigation has reported decreased acylcarnitine levels in 38 CFS patients. We investigated 35 CFS patients (27 females and 8 males); our results indicate that CFS patients have statistically significantly lower serum total carnitine, free carnitine and acylcarnitine levels, not only lower acylcarnitine levels as previously reported. We also found a statistically significant correlation between serum levels of total and free carnitine and clinical symptomatology. Higher serum carnitine levels correlated with better functional capacity. These findings may be indicative of mitochondrial dysfunction, which may contribute to or cause symptoms of fatigue in CFS patients.

Alpha/beta interferon is a neuronal growth factor

We investigated the effect of alpha/beta interferon on neuronal survivability. E16 murine telencephalic vesicles were dissected aseptically and grown on collagen-coated coverslips. After 2 weeks of culturing, the media was supplemented with mouse alpha/beta interferon (1,500 U/ml). After an additional 2 weeks of culturing, all of the control cultures demonstrated significant neuronal death. In the 16 interferon-treated cultures, neuronal death took place only in 1 culture, baseline survivability occurred in 2 and proliferation in 13 cultures (p < 0.005). Thus, alpha/beta interferon sustains neuronal growth.

L-carnitine as a treatment of lethargy in children with chronic neurologic handicaps

We present five cases of children with severe neurologic handicaps whose management was complicated by excessive lethargy. Treatment with L-carnitine in a dosage range of 35-50 mg/kg/day resulted in a marked improvement in alertness and arousability. In four cases, when L-carnitine was discontinued for a month, they all promptly became lethargic. When L-carnitine was re-started, the lethargy resolved and the improvement has been maintained for up to 14 months. In three children who were tested, serum carnitine levels (total and free) were normal before starting L-carnitine treatment.

Lymphocyte function in autism and Rett syndrome

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 17 patients with autism were separated on a Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient. Patients had normal numbers of T and B cells and T cell subsets. Although CD4:CD8 ratios were normal for the whole group (2.09 +/- 0.97), 6 patients had elevated ratios (> 2.2) and 5 had decreased ratios (< 1.5). Mitogen-induced proliferation (concanavalin-A and phytohemagglutinin) was normal as was the autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction for the whole group. There was an abnormally increased percentage of DR+ (activated) T lymphocytes in 11 patients. With increasing age percentage of DR+ lymphocytes decreased. No patient had interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor+ cells. Similar investigations performed on blood samples from 8 girls with Rett syndrome produced normal results. 11 of 17 autistic patients had an abnormally increased percentage of DR+ but not IL-2 receptor+ lymphocytes suggesting 'incomplete' activation, a finding which is seen in autoimmune diseases. The decrease in activated cells with increasing age suggests that there may be an autoimmune process which is more active earlier in life in a subset of autistics.

L-carnitine as a treatment for Rett syndrome

A 17-year-old girl with Rett syndrome, who was taking no other medications, was treated with L-carnitine (50 mg/kg/day). Within 2 months of initiation of treatment, she became much more alert, developed good eye contact, started reaching for objects with both hands, and answered simple questions with one or two words. L-carnitine was discontinued and within 1 week she lapsed into her pretreatment condition of lethargy with no interest in her environment, not reaching for objects, poor eye contact, and not speaking. One week after L-carnitine was resumed, she again became alert, started reaching for objects, and saying one or two words. Her serum carnitine levels (free and total) were within normal limits before and after L-carnitine treatment, but were higher while she was taking L-carnitine. Her serum ammonia was within normal limits prior to starting L-carnitine. L-carnitine appears to be an effective treatment for this girl with advanced Rett syndrome.

Expression of a neural cell adhesion molecule serum fragment is depressed in autism

The level of a neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) serum fragment in autism was determined by using an antiserum prepared with immunoaffinity purified mouse NCAM. Autistic patients (N = 16) had statistically significantly decreased serum NCAM levels compared with age-matched controls (p less than 0.0005). This observation could not be attributed to a medication-induced effect. Depressed serum NCAM levels in autism are distinct from schizophrenia, in which serum NCAM levels are elevated.

Anti-CNS antibodies in childhood neurologic diseases

To study the incidence of circulating anti-CNS antibodies in childhood neurologic diseases, a population study was undertaken. Serum samples were obtained from a total of 348 children and stored at -80 degrees C until being studied. The samples were collected when routine blood tests were being performed. In all cases informed consent was obtained. This study was approved by hospital ethics review committees. One hundred and ninety-nine of the samples were from children with no known neurologic illnesses and served as the control group. One hundred and twenty-one of the samples were from children with epilepsy and the remaining 28 from a number of different neurologic conditions. The serum samples were screened against normal, adult, autopsy-derived cerebellar and frontal cortex tissue sections and Western blots. Serum immunoreactivity was revealed using HRP-conjugated anti-human IgG. Significant findings included: (1) patients with epilepsy had an increased incidence of anti-CNS reactivity as revealed on frontal cortex immunoblots (p less than 0.05) but not on cerebellar immunoblots; (2) there was an increase in the incidence of immunoblot reactivity with age in the controls and the neurology cases; (3) there was an increased incidence of immunoblot reactivity in those cases with a presumed inflammatory central or peripheral neurologic disease; (4) in six additional cases with opsoclonus-myoclonus there was cerebellar-specific immunoreactivity with identified antigenic molecular weights of 27 and 35, and 62 kDaltons; (5) in 31 additional cases of systemic lupus erythematosus there was significant immunoblot reactivity (p less than 0.001) when compared to a subset of age-matched controls. There was no difference in immunoreactivity between males and females. There was no significant increase in immunoreactivity in those children with cognitive disturbances including developmental delay and mental retardation.

Murine trisomy 16 model of Down's syndrome: central nervous system electron microscopic observations

Murine trisomy 16 is an excellent model for the human Down's syndrome (DS). Electron microscopic (EM) observations were made of the cortical plate within the developing telencephalic vesicle at the gestational age of E17. The EM observations revealed: (A) microtubular profiles which were more coiled and curved in the trisomic condition; (B) poor cell-to-cell apposition and increased cellular membrane fragmentation in trisomy 16; (C) increased nuclear contour irregularity in trisomic neurons; (D) significant decrease in the cross-sectional area of neuronal nuclei in trisomy 16 (p less than 0.01). The microtubular observations lend credence to the hypothesis that abnormal cytoskeletal interactions may underlie the mental deficiency seen in DS and may predispose to the eventual development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in DS individuals. The cellular membrane findings may be related to reported CNS membrane lipid abnormalities in DS. The nuclear morphologic observations may be related to the reported differences in chromatin and nuclear histone expression in AD. These results strengthen the role of the trisomy 16 mouse as a model for DS and potentially for AD.

Expression of monoclonal antibody Q113 immunoreactivity in the rat cerebral cortex: unique differential sublayering of layer I: staining of radial glia

Monoclonal antibody mabQ113 recognizes a 120-kilodalton polypeptide which, in the cerebellar cortex, is confined exclusively to a subset of Purkinje cells which are organized in parasagittal bands (Hawkes et al.: Brain Research 333:359-365, 1985). In all other areas of the adult rat brain examined the localization of the mabQ113 epitope was marked by regional neuronal and glial co-expression (Plioplys and Hawkes: Brain Research 375:1-12, 1986). Similar neuronal-glial co-expression was characteristic of the adult rat cerebral cortex. Intriguingly, mabQ113 revealed a unique differential sublamination of layer I. In the neocortex, layer I was split into two sublayers, with the more superficial sublayer weakly stained and the deeper sublayer stained more intensely, whereas in the pyriform cortex, layer I was split into three. These sublaminations do not correspond to previously described subdivisions of layer I. In the developing cortex, the mabQ113 epitope is found in radial glial fibers. Stained radial fibers are first seen beginning at E17, reach a maximum at P4 and finally disappear between P12 and P14. The laminar distribution of mabQ113-immunoreactivity emerges earlier in the pyriform cortex than the neocortex: the sublamination of layer I is seen at P4 in the pyriform cortex but not until P8 in the neocortex. The significance of these observations is discussed.

Expression of the 210 kDa neurofilament subunit in cultured central nervous system from normal and trisomy 16 mice: regulation by interferon

When applied to central nervous system (CNS) cultures taken from normal fetal mice, interferon increases the immunohistochemical expression of the highly phosphorylated 210 kDa neurofilament subunit. This effect can be blocked by the application of an agent which inhibits interferon-mediated metabolic pathways. Murine trisomy 16 is an excellent model for human Down's Syndrome. CNS cultures taken from trisomy 16 fetal mice express greater intensity of 210 kDa neurofilament subunit immunohistochemical staining than do normals. Application of an interferon inhibitor normalizes trisomy 16 CNS neurofilament expression.

Anti-CNS antibodies in neurological and psychiatric disorders

To investigate the possibility that anti-CNS antibodies may play a pathogenic role in a number of neurological and psychiatric disorders, a population study was undertaken. Serum samples were obtained from a total of 257 adults and were screened against sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic blots of various normal, necropsy-derived adult human brain regions. The incidence of IgG immunoreactive banding in the total sample was 30%. Within the diagnostic groups the incidence of banding was: controls 32%, schizophrenia 28%, mental retardation 27%, cerebellar ataxia 33%, Parkinson's disease 22%, myasthenia gravis 45% and epilepsy 31%. The differences are not statistically significant. There was no significant difference in the numbers and locations of bands between the various diagnostic groups and the controls. The overall incidence of immunoreactivity corresponding to the high molecular weight subunit of neurofilaments was only 6%, thus not confirming a previously reported incidence of 95%. The similarity between the diagnostic and the control sera suggests that caution should be exerted in interpreting the pathogenic significance of anti-CNS immunoreactive banding on Western blots.

Down's syndrome. Precocious neurofilament antigen expression

Neuronal cytoskeletal abnormalities may be a common factor in the neurobiologic causes of diverse forms of mental deficiency including Down's syndrome (DS). MabN210 which recognizes the 210 kDa subunit of neurofilaments was applied to sections of autopsy-derived DS and control central nervous system tissue. The findings included precocious and possibly aberrant neurofilament antigen expression during the first few months of life in DS cerebellar basket cell axons. Staining of central white matter tracts revealed an increased caliber of immunoreactive axons suggesting a widespread abnormality in mabN210 antigen expression in DS neurons. This abnormal regulation of normal neurofilament antigenic epitopes may be causally related to the development of Alzheimer's disease in DS.

The development of differential mabQ113-immunoreactivity in the rat habenular complex

Monoclonal antibody mabQ113 selectively labels a subset of Purkinje cells which are arranged in parasagittal bands throughout the vermis and hemispheres of the rat cerebellar cortex. No other cerebellar cell types are immunoreactive. By contrast, in the remainder of the brain the mabQ113 epitope is located primarily in glial cells. In general, the glial immunoreactivity is not differentially distributed. An exception is that mabQ113 densely and uniformly stains the lateral habenula (LHb) but gives no labelling of the medial habenula (MHb). During cerebellar development, the mabQ113 epitope is expressed in three stages. Before postnatal day 7 (P7) all Purkinje cells are negative. Secondly, all Purkinje cells become mabQ113+ between P7 and P12. The parasagittal bands are created between P12 and P30 by selective suppression of epitope expression. To explore whether epitope suppression is also responsible for differential staining patterns in other brain regions the ontogenic development of mabQ113 immunoreactivity has been mapped in the habenular complex. Neither the MHb nor the LHb express the mabQ113 epitope prenatally. P1 is the first age at which the LHb is stained. During the next few days the intensity of staining within the LHb steadily increases until the adult pattern is attained at P6. At no time is there expression of the mabQ113 antigen in the MHb. This also confirms that the two classes of habenular astrocytes, mabQ113-/GFAP+ and mabQ113+/GFAP+, are intrinsically different throughout postnatal life.

Selective suppression of neurofilament antigen expression in the hypothyroid rat cerebral cortex

As an integral component of the cytoskeleton neurofilaments play a central role in the establishment and maintenance of neuronal form. In particular, high neurofilament concentrations are characteristic of many classes of axons in the central nervous system. Isolated neurofilaments from rat brain consist of 3 distinct polypeptides with apparent molecular weights 210K, 160K and 68K. A murine monoclonal antibody, mabN210, has been produced which specifically recognizes an epitope associated with the high molecular weight subunit and this antibody has been used to explore the regulation of neurofilament expression during brain development. It has been shown that in the rat cerebellar cortex, the expression of mabN210-immunoreactivity in basket cell axons is severely suppressed in hypothyroidism while neurofilament antigen expression in other cerebellar axons seems not to require thyroid hormones. In view of the well-known cortical deficits in hypothyroidism, these studies have now been extended to include the developing rat cerebral cortex and selected cortical afferent and efferent axons. In hypothyroid rats there is a marked suppression of mabN210-immunoreactivity in the cerebral cortex and corpus callosum and, to a lesser extent, there is a reduction in staining in the internal capsule. By contrast, hypothyroidism did not reduce mabN210-immunoreactivity in the lateral olfactory tract or the stria medullaris. In rats, serum thyroid hormone starts to rise to adult levels on postnatal day 4. It appears that axons that have attained their mature distribution prior to the onset of thyroid hormone expression are not affected by hypothyroidism whereas mabN210-immunoreactivity is suppressed in those axonal tracts that reach a mature distribution after P4.

A survey of MabQ113 immunoreactivity in the adult rat brain: differential staining of the lateral and medial habenular nuclei

Monoclonal antibody mabQ113 recognizes a polypeptide antigen which, in rat cerebellum, is confined exclusively to a subset of Purkinje cells which are organized into parasagittal bands. In this report we have explored the distribution of mabQ113 immunoreactivity in some other regions of the rat brain. The most interesting result was a dramatic differential staining of the habenular complex in which mabQ113 densely and uniformly stained the lateral habenula but did not stain the medial habenula. Within the lateral habenula reaction product is localized primarily in the cellular processes of astrocytes but there is also staining of neighboring neuronal dendritic and axonal profiles. The afferent and efferent tracts of the habenular nuclei are not immunoreactive and there was no systematic difference in staining between the afferent and efferent nuclear groups of the two habenular nuclei. The pattern of mabQ113 immunoreactivity in rat brain is distinct from previously described biochemical differentiation markers of the two nuclei and thus may serve as a useful probe to study habenular anatomy, development and function.

Selective staining of a subset of Purkinje cells in the human cerebellum with monoclonal antibody mabQ113

MabQ113 is a monoclonal antibody raised against rat cerebellum which selectively strains Purkinje cells. Likewise, in mabQ113-immunoperoxidase stained sections of human cerebellum, deposits of reaction product are found only in the Purkinje cells. The dendritic arborizations, cell body, and axonal processes are immunoreactive. In rat, mabQ113 reveals a series of parasagittal antigenic bands which run throughout the cerebellar cortex. The staining distribution in human cerebellar cortex likewise reveals heterogenous staining but the pattern is a complex one and seems to be unlike the parasagittal banding found in the rat. In a number of human diseases Purkinje cell degeneration is not uniform throughout the vermis and cerebellar hemispheres. It is possible that mabQ113+ and mabQ113- subsets of Purkinje cells may respond differentially to various pathological conditions.