Figure 5.

Increased phosphorylated neurofilament in the peripapillary retina of patients with ALS. Phosphorylated neurofilament is shown in red using SMI 31, with nuclei counterstained with DAPI in blue. Compared with controls (A), a significant increase in P-NF immunoreactivity in the peripapillary region of the RNFL was observed in patients with ALS (B). The boxed region in (B) is expanded in (C). P-NF–positive spheroids ranging from 8 to 15 µm in diameter were observed in all 10 ALS cases (n = 10) (C; arrows), and in none of the 10 control cases. (A) Control (case 8); (B, C) ALS (case 4). Abbreviations: RNFL = retinal nerve fiber layer; LC = lamina cribrosa. (A, B) Scale bar = 100 µm; (C) Scale bar = 25 µm.