| Popis: |
Although the basic gross and microscopic pathological changes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have been known for more than 100 years, emerging technology and research into the cellular and molecular changes found in this disease are challenging our understanding about the pathogenesis and pathophysiology. All cell types of the CNS/PNS as well as circulating immune cells have been implicated in the pathology of ALS. Numerous genes, their proteins, and environmental factors have also been associated. However, we still do not understand the specific gene-environmental interactions that bring about and drive this devastating disease in most cases. This short chapter does not address the causal factors and molecular pathogeneses that have been hypothesized and actively researched in the pathology of ALS-as these are discussed in other sections of this text. Here, it shows and discusses the basic pathological changes at the tissue and cellular levels that help to establish the pathological diagnosis of ALS at autopsy. |
