What if multiple sclerosis isn't an immunological or a viral disease? The case for a circulating toxin.

The literature contains studies on many causes of demyelination: Vascular occlusion--exogenous toxins--allergic reactions--and virus diseases. There remains, however, a small group of conditions which seems to have been ignored almost completely in discussions of cerebral demyelination. These consist of brain damage apparently resulting from some toxin liberated within the human body and not obtained from the outside.

Studies on the ability of acetylcholine receptors to bind alpha-bungarotoxin after exposure to myasthenic serum.

The purpose of the present experiment was to determine if there is a factor in serum of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) that interferes with binding of (125I)-alpha-bungarotoxin to acetylcholine receptors of normal mouse diaphragm. Diaphragms were incubated aerobically for 1 hour in either Krebs-Henseleit solution, MG serum, or control serum, and then (125I)-alpha bungarotoxin was added for 2 further hours at a concentration of 1 mug/ml. After 12 rinses in Krebs-Henseleit solution for another hour, radioactivity was counted.

Similar geographical distribution of multiple sclerosis and cancer of the colon.

A search was made of all diseases listed in the Annual Statistics of the World Health Organization to determine if any disease had the peculiar geographical distribution of multiple sclerosis. Of the approximately 83 diseases listed, only cancer of the colon was similar in geographical distribution and in the slight preponderance of females dying with the disease. The epidemiology of both diseases is reviewed, particularly with regard to their appearance in certain migrant populations.

Serum linoleic acid in multiple sclerosis.

Total serum fatty acids were analyzed in 30 patients with multiple sclerosis and in 33 controls. No significant decrease in linoleic acid was found in the patients with multiple sclerosis. A disturbance in linoleic acid metabolism is not inevitably associated with this disease.

Gel filtration of myelin using 2,2,2-trichloroethanol as the solvent.

The use of 2,2,2-trichloroethanol as a solvent for myelin from both the central and peripheral nervous systems is described. Concentrated, optically clear solutions of lyophilized myelin in this solvent are stable for weeks. The preparation of highly concentrated myelin proteins by gel filtration in trichloroethanol is described.

Studies on a murine form of spontaneous lower motor neuron degeneration--the wobbler (wa) mouse.

The wobbler (wr) mouse has been considered an animal model of spontaneous lower motor neuron degeneration which is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. Previously available data are, however, also compatible with genetic factors playing a necessary though not exclusive role in the expression of the wobbler trait. The present report describes the results of chromosome analyses, electromyography and selected histochemical studies on wobbler mice, as well as studies exploring the possible participation of infectious agents, transneuronal effects, retrograde effects, aging, circulating toxins and immunologic factors in the pathogenesis of the wobbler disorder.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: effect of serum on anterior horn cells in tissue culture.

A high proportion of diluted serums of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis were toxic to the anterior horn cells of the mouse in tissue culture. This is not a general cytotoxicity, since apparently only the neurons were killed. Serums from other degenerative neurological diseases were inactive.