DEMONSTRATION OF NEUROFIBRILLARY TANGLES AND NEUROPIL THREAD-LIKE STRUCTURES IN SPINAL-CORD WHITE-MATTER IN PARKINSONISM-DEMENTIA COMPLEX ON GUAM AND IN GUAMANIAN AMYOTROPHIC-LATERAL-SCLEROSIS

This report concerns the demonstration and distribution of neurofibril lary tangles (NFTs), immunoreactive neuropil thread-like structures an d dots in the spinal cord gray and white matter of six patients with p arkinsonism-dementia complex on Guam and five patients with Guamanian amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A monoclonal antibody to Alzheime r NFTs was used. NFTs were found in the spinal cord gray matter and wh ite matter and all patients had immunoreactive neuropil thread-like st ructures and dots in the gray matter as well as in the white matter. T hey were particularly numerous in the lateral funiculus of patients wi th Guamanian ALS.