The central nervous system in a cast of neurolathyrism

We examined the central nervous system of a 67-year-old man who showed symptoms of lathyrism after being imprisoned at age 35 and fed on a diet of chick peas, Lathyrus sativus. The most obvious changes were loss of axons and myelin in the pyramidal tract in the lumbar spinal cord. These alterations correlated with spastic paraparesis. Other changes at the same level were a mild degree of degeneration of anterior horn cells. Pallor of Goll's tracts and axonal swelling in Goll's nuclei were also observed. A few examples of senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles were observed in Ammon's horn.