histological study of experimentally induced allergic encephalomyelitis in the guinea pig

ABSTRACT

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis [EAE] is a neuroimmune disease. It was induced in the guinea pigs by intradermal injections of the guinea pig spinal cord in an emulsion with complete Freund's adjuvant. In order to study that model twenty guinea pigs were used. They were divided equally into 2 groups, group I [control group] and group [II] in which the [EAE] was induced. Sections of the lumbar segments of the spinal cord, the brain stem and the cerebellar cortex were taken. The severity of the [EAE] lesions varied from one place to the other. The present study showed mononuclear cellular infiltration of the lumbar segment of the spinal cord. Motor neurons of the spinal cord showed degenerative changes. Some neurons had shrunken cell body with deeply stained eccentric nuclei and their cytoplasm showed chromatolysis. Other neurones had large cell bodies. In some motor cells the nuclei couldn't be detected. An area of complete degeneration of the neural element was detected in the gray matter of the spinal cord. The glial elements showed proliferative change. In the brain stem, there was a subpial cellular infiltration. The polygonal nerve cells of the brain stem showed degenerative changes. Also the nerve fibers of the brain stem were affected in the form of beading, interruption with area of marked thinning. Degenerative changes were seen in the purkinje cells and granular cells of the cerebellar cortex. Some of the purkinje cells had small deeply stained pyknotic nuclei. Other cells showed fragmented nuclei. The nuclei of some granular cells in the granular layer became deeply stained