[Morphological changes in the nervous system in rheumatoid arthritis]

The central and peripheral nervous systems were subjected to morphologic study in 16 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. The following pathological stages characteristic for collagenous diseases were revealed in the connective tissue and vascular walls: mucoid swelling, fibrinoid changes, sclerosis and amyloidosis. The intensity of acute degenerative changes in the connective tissue of the nervous system was largely dependent on the clinical and immunologic activity of the disease.