Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with sensory neuropathy: part of a multisystem disorder?
- Jeremy D Isaacs1,
- Andrew F Dean2,
- Christopher E Shaw1,
- Ammar Al-Chalabi1,
- Kerry R Mills,
- P Nigel Leigh1
- 1King’s College London MRC Centre for Neurodegeneration Research, Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK
- 2Department of Histopathology, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Correspondence to: Professor P Nigel Leigh Department of Clinical Neuroscience at King’s College London, and MRC Centre for Neurodegeneration Research, Department of Neurology, PO Box 41, Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill, London SE5 3AF, UK; n.leigh{at}iop.kcl.ac.uk
- Received 26 May 2006
- Accepted 10 January 2007
- Revised 8 January 2007
Abstract
Sensory involvement is thought not to be a feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, in the setting of a specialist motor neuron disease clinic, we have identified five patients with sporadic ALS and a sensory neuropathy for which an alternative cause could not be identified. In three individuals, sensory nerve biopsy was performed, demonstrating axonal loss without features of an alternative aetiology. These findings support the hypothesis that ALS is a multisystem neurodegenerative disorder that may occasionally include sensory neuropathy among its non-motor features.
- ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- MGUS, monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance
- SAP, sensory action potential
Footnotes
-
Competing interests: None.
