Peripheral nerve atrophy together with higher cerebrospinal fluid progranulin indicate axonal damage in amyotrophic
Stefanie Schreiber1,2, Grazyna Debska-Vielhaber1, Susanne Abdulla1,2
1Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Leipziger Straße 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany.
Introduction:
We aimed to investigate whether sonographic peripheral cross-sectional nerve area (CSA) and progranulin (PGRN), a neuritic growth factor, are related to each other and whether they interact to predict clinical and paraclinical measures in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Methods:
We included 55 ALS patients who had forearm median and ulnar nerve CSA, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) PGRN, and serum PGRN measures available. CSF PGRN was normalized against the CSF / serum albumin ratio (Qalb ). Using age, sex, height, and weight adjusted general linear models, we examined CSA × CSF PGRN interaction effects on various measures.
Results:
There was a medium-effect size inverse relationship between CSA and CSF PGRN, but not between CSA and serum PGRN. Lower CSA values together with higher CSF PGRN levels were linked to smaller motor amplitudes.
Discussion:
In ALS, the constellation of peripheral nerve atrophy together with higher CSF PGRN levels indicates pronounced axonal damage. Muscle Nerve 57: 273-278, 2018.
Related Concept Videos
Neural Regulation
Neurogenesis and Regeneration of Nervous Tissue
Cross-bridge Cycle
Amyloid Fibrils
Amyloid deposits were observed as early as 1639 in the liver and the spleen. In 1854, Rudolph Virchow performed iodine staining,...


