FAMILIAL SPONGY DEGENERATION OF CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (VAN BOGAERT-BERTRAND DISEASE) - AN ULTRASTRUCTURAL STUDY

Light and electron microscopy study of skeletal muscle and cerebral biopsies from a case of spongy degeneration of central nervous system is reported. The multiple vacuoles present in cerebral gray and white matter correspond to (a) clefts within myelin sheaths resulting from splitting at the intraperiod line and (b) swollen astrocytic perikarya and processes. Unusual mitochondria containing crystalline-like material were observed only in astrocytes. The ultrastructural findings are consistent with cerebral edema. It is suggested that the astrocytes play a primary role in the fluid accumulation while the myelin swelling is a secondary lesion. The possible role of the abnormal astrocytic mitochondria is discussed. © 1969 Springer-Verlag.