[Bioptic investigations of the nervous system (author's transl)].

Bioptic investigation of nervous tissue can be made by taking tissue samples of nerves, skin, muscle, rectum, dental pulp and brain. The choice of site for the biopsy depends on the results of previous clinical neurological, neurophysiological and biochemical investigations. Indications are: unexplained peripheral neuropathies, progressive degenerative diseases of the central nervous system and enzymopathies which are principally manifest in the nervous system (neurometabolic diseases). The result of a nerve tissue biopsy usually only leads to classification in a disease group (pathogenic unit) which only becomes diagnostically relevant in conjunction with the clinical data. In biopsies of the brain a virological examination should always be performed in addition to the morphological (light and electron microscopic) and biochemical investigation.