[An autopsied case of type 2 Machado-Joseph's disease or spino-pontine degeneration].

The authors present the clinico-pathological findings in a member of a family residing in Akita Prefecture located in the north-eastern region of Japan. Four members in three generations of the family developed ataxia. The autopsied patient was a 42-year-old woman, who, at the age of 25, had developed progressive cerebellar ataxia with pyramidal spasticity and increased deep tendon reflexes predominant in the lower extremities. However, she retained fine movement of the hands and fingers and showed no dysarthria until the age of 35. She could no longer walk unassisted at 38 years old. She showed cerebellar ataxia in both hands and legs, dysarthria, bulging eyes, progressive extraoculomotor palsy with nystagmus, bradykinesia, sensory disturbance, and dystonia in the face, upper extremities, and fingers. Deep tendon reflexes were decreased, especially in the lower extremities. Subacute generalized muscular atrophy developed at the age of 39. She became bedridden and died of pneumonia. The clinical diagnosis was Type-2 of the entity known in Japan as Machado-Joseph disease. At neuropathological examination, the brain weight was 1,250 g. The spinocerebellar system including Clarke's column and the spinocerebellar tracts were degenerated, but the cerebellar cortex and inferior olivary nucleus were spared. Slight-to-moderate degeneration was observed in the pontocerebellar system. In the dentate nucleus, most of the neurons showed what is known in Japan as "grumose degeneration", but there was no neuronal loss or gliosis. The hilus of the dentate nucleus and the superior cerebellar peduncle were intact.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)