Abstract
We report here an autopsy case of connatal Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, the second from Japan. Her clinico-pathological findings were essentially the same as those of the first case that we reported previously. The clinical course of this patient was 19 years in duration. Pathologically myelin had disappeared from the entire central nervous system, whereas that of the peripheral nervous system was preserved. Axons appeared also intact except for torpedo formation in the cerebellum. Demyelinated areas showed isomorphic gliosis. Recent studies have revealed impairment of proteolipid protein synthesis in classical Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, the causative gene of which being located on the X chromosome. Thus, this disease is inherited as an X-linked recessive trait. However we report herein a sporadic female case in a non-consanguineous family. Therefore, we propose that this disease might have another causative gene and/or another mode of inheritance.
