A STUDY OF SOME PECULIAR CHANGES FOUND IN THE OXONS AND DENDRITES OF THE PURKINJE CELLS

Abstract

INTRODUCTION A peculiar balloon-like swelling of the dendrites of the ganglion cells was noted first by Schaffer1in amaurotic family idiocy. Later the same condition was observed in the apical dendrites of the Purkinje cells by Rogalski, Jansky, Schob, Bray, Sachs and Strauss,2Schaffer and others. This swelling of the dendrites was considered by these authors as one of the pathognomic findings of amaurotic family idiocy. In 1906, Straussler3described the same kind of alteration among the dendrites of the Purkinje cells, together with similar swellings of the axis cylinders in a psychosis—in a woman 36 years of age—which manifested certain cerebellar symptoms associated with mental agitation and intellectual weakness. The cerebellum of this patient showed congenital malformation—defect of the granular layer. He attributed this peculiar change of the dendrites to their incomplete development and overwork. In 1910, Straussler, in a report on three cases of juvenile