Lower motor neuron disease with accumulation of neurofilaments in a cat.

A young cat had signs of tetraparesis that progressed to tetraplegia within a few weeks. Clinically, there was lower motor neuron disease with areflexia and muscle atrophy in all limbs. Degeneration of the motor neurons in the spinal cord was seen on histological examination. Ultrastructurally, the degeneration of nerve cells was characterized by abnormal proliferation of neurofilaments. These findings were compared to other motor neuron diseases and neurofibrillary accumulations in man and animals.