Immunocytochemical studies of neurotrophins in cerebral motor cortex in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Neurotrophin-like immunoreactivity was studied in post-mortem motor cerebral cortex from patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and controls. Neurotrophin-4/5 immunoreactivity was seen in small-(12-25 mu m), medium-(26-39 mu m), and large-(> 40 mu m), neurones, neurotrophin-3 was seen in medium and small neurones, while brain-derived neurotrophic factor was restricted to small neurones. No difference in number or intensity of immunostained neurones was found between ALS and controls. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.