Identification of clinical target areas in the brainstem of prion-infected mice.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

While prion infection ultimately involves the entire brain, it has long been thought that the abrupt clinical onset and rapid neurological decline in laboratory rodents relates to involvement of specific critical neuroanatomical target areas. The severity and type of clinical signs, together with the rapid progression, suggest the brainstem as a candidate location for such critical areas. In this study we aimed to correlate prion pathology with clinical phenotype in order to identify clinical target areas.

Method

We conducted a comprehensive survey of brainstem pathology in mice infected with two distinct prion strains, which produce different patterns of pathology, in mice overexpressing prion protein (with accelerated clinical onset) and in mice in which neuronal expr

SUBMITTER: Mirabile I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4949711 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature