Necropsy Findings in HTLV-I Associated Myelopathy

Voiding dysfunction in patients with human T-lymphotropic virus type-1-associated myelopathy (HAM)

“…Considering these views together, our urodynamic findings and preservation of sensation of micturition suggest that in HAM the main lesions are lateral columns of the spinal cord between the sacral micturition centre and the pons-mesencephalic micturition centre and the posterior columns of spinal cord are less affected. These findings are similar to those of necropsy of the patient with HAM previously reported (Akizuki et al, 1987).…”

Resonancia Magnética de médula espinal y cerebro en el correlato clínico de la paraparesia espástica progresiva que se asocia al virus humano linfotrópico tipo-I (HTLV-I)

“…Los estudios histopatológicos han demostrado que en los segmentos lumbares, dorsales y, a veces, cervicales, se observan lesiones simétricas de la vía motora (córtico-espinal), que se definen por la pérdida de axones y desmielinización 4,5 . Asimismo, en algunos casos se ha encontrado daño en la vía propioceptiva de las piernas (haz de Goll) en los segmentos cervicales 5,6 .…”

HTLV-I-associated myelopathy following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

“…Interestingly, hyalinoid thickening of the small vessels of the spinal cord and the meninges suggestive of angiopathy was noted at the autopsy of one patient with HAM. 8 The relative paucity of sensory symptoms and the sparing of facial nerves is a consistent finding in HAM. With the advent of MRI, white matter lesions commonly seen as small foci of abnormally increased signal, especially in the periventricular space have been documented in a small number of patients or asymptomatic carriers.…”

“…7 Also, motor neurone loss has been demonstrated neuropathologically in the spinal cord of a HAM patient. 8 Two other patients in the cohort from Martinique also developed monoclonal gammopathy, which may have contributed to the peripheral neuropathy. The presence of perivascular thickening with non-amyloid amorphus deposition is of unclear significance.…”