[Morphological and histochemical reactions of an organism to the administration of Clostridium botulinum toxin. IX. Reactions of the neurons of the abducens nerve nucleus and of the Darkshevich's nucleus to the administration of C. botulinum type B toxin].

Pathomorphological and histochemical study carried out in guinea pigs at the stage of paralysis of the limbs after the oral administration of C. botulinum toxin has revealed the presence of morpho-metabolic changes pertaining to phase 2 of the development of dystrophic processes in the neurons of the nucleus of the abducent nerve and Darkshevich's nucleus. At the myasthenic stage the development of dystrophic processes in the neurons of Darkshevich's nucleus has been found to reach phase 3. The study indicates that C. botulinum toxin possesses different tropism in respect of the neurons of the oculomotor nuclei; this fact correlates with the clinical picture of botulism.