Table 3.

Aggregation pathology of the pontomedullary junction area. Medians of the severity of different aggregation types and neurodegeneration in brainstem nuclei of the pontomedullary junction area, listed for SCA2 patients only (SCA2), SCA3 patients only (SCA3) or for the whole patient group (all). SCA2 and SCA3 groups were tested against each other with Fisher‐Freeman‐Haltons exact test for statistically significant differences in aggregation severity (GCS with 1C2, NNI with p62), with P‐values listed for each area and aggregation type.

Area		SCA2		SCA3		All		SCA2 vs. SCA3, exact test
		1C2	p62	1C2	p62	1C2	p62
Superior olive	GCS	3	1	2	0	3	1	GCS (1C2): P = 0.0152
	NNI	0	1	0	0	0	0	NNI(p62): P = 0.0606
	ND	2		2		2
Abducens nucleus	GCS	3	1	3	0	3	0.5	GCS (1C2): P = 1.0000
	NNI	0.5	1	1	1	1	1	NNI(p62): P = 1.0000
	ND	1		3		2
Nucleus raphe magnus	GCS	3	1	2	0	2	0	GCS (1C2): P = 0.0152
	NNI	1	1	2	2.5	2	2	NNI(p62): P = 0.1126
	ND	1		0		0
Gigantocellular reticular nucleus	GCS	2	1	2	0	3	0	GCS (1C2): P = 0.2424
	NNI	1	1	3	2	1	2	NNI(p62): P = 0.0368
	ND	1		1		1
Facialis nucleus	GCS	3	1	3	0	3	0	GCS (1C2): P = 0.4545
	NNI	1	0	1	1	1	1	NNI(p62): P = 0.0152
	ND	2		2		2
Medial vestibular nucleus	GCS	3	1	2	0	2	0	GCS (1C2): P = 0.1061
	NNI	1	1	1	1	1	1	NNI(p62): P = 1.0000
	ND	1		2		1
Lateral vestibular nucleus	GCS	3	1	2	0	2	1	GCS (1C2): P = 0.0476
	NNI	0	1	1	1	0	1	NNI(p62): P = 1.0000
	ND	1.5		2.5		2
Inferior vestibular nucleus	GCS	3	1	2	0	2	0	GCS (1C2): P = 0.0736
	NNI	0	1	1.5	1	1	1	NNI(p62): P = 0.2121
	ND	1		1		1
Prepositus hypoglossus ncl.	GCS	2	1	2	0	2	0	GCS (1C2): P = 0.4545
	NNI	1	1	2	2.5	2	2	NNI(p62): P = 0.0303
	ND	0		1.5		1
Arcuate nucleus	GCS	3	1	2	0	2	0	GCS (1C2): P = 0.0281
	NNI	1.5	2	3	3	2	3	NNI(p62): P = 0.0152
	ND	0		0		0