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Acta neuropathologica1992; 84(3); 307-315; doi: 10.1007/BF00227824

Determination of the early age of onset of equine recurrent laryngeal neuropathy. 1. Muscle pathology.

Abstract: The age of onset of equine recurrent laryngeal neuropathy has not been ascertained, although the clinical condition of left laryngeal hemiplegia ("roaring") has been recognized for centuries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the laryngeal muscles of draft horse foals for the presence of fiber-type grouping, indicating denervation and reinnervation, and to determine if histological evidence of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy was present. Abductor and adductor laryngeal muscles from the left and right sides were collected immediately after euthanasia from male draft horse foals, six less than 2 weeks and four 6 months of age, and stained for myosin ATPase. A morphometric test was used to objectively evaluate several areas from each muscle for fiber-type grouping. Extensive fiber-type grouping which was characteristic of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy was found in one of the young foals and all of the older foals. Four of the young foals had some areas of fiber-type grouping suggestive of mild, early changes associated with recurrent laryngeal neuropathy. One of the young foals had no fiber-type grouping present in any of the laryngeal muscles evaluated. These findings suggest an early age of onset of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy.
Publication Date: 1992-01-01 PubMed ID: 1384268DOI: 10.1007/BF00227824Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

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The research article discusses a study aimed at investigating the onset age of equine recurrent laryngeal neuropathy, a condition observed in horses. The study specifically analyzes muscle fibers in young and older foals to look for signs of the condition.

Study Rationale and Objective

  • The study was necessitated by the unestablished age of onset of equine recurrent laryngeal neuropathy. This is a disorder in horses causing left laryngeal hemiplegia, also known as roaring, which has been recognized for centuries but its onset remains undefined.
  • The purpose of the study was to evaluate the laryngeal muscles in draft horse foals to detect any occurrence of fiber-type grouping. This grouping indicates two processes: denervation, where nerve fibers lose their coverings, and reinnervation, where the fibers regain the coverings. These two processes are indicators of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy.
  • The research aimed to determine if there was any histological evidence of the presence of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy in the horse foals.

Methodology

  • The muscles involved in opening (abductor) and closing (adductor) larynx from the left and right sides of male draft horse foals were collected immediately after euthanasia.
  • The study used ten foals: six aged less than two weeks while four were six months old.
  • Staining for Myosin adenosine triphosphate (ATPase), an enzyme that provides energy for muscle contraction, was done on the collected muscles.
  • The stained samples were then observed for fiber-type grouping using a morphometric test. Several areas from each muscle sample were objectively evaluated for such grouping.

Findings

  • In one of the young foals and all of the older ones, there was an extensive fiber-type grouping. This finding is representative of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy.
  • Four of the young foals demonstrated areas of fiber-type grouping, which is suggestive of early, mild changes associated with recurrent laryngeal neuropathy.
  • No fiber-type grouping was present in any laryngeal muscles evaluated in one of the young foals.
  • Overall, these findings suggest that recurrent laryngeal neuropathy may be set in motion at an early age in horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Harrison GD, Duncan ID, Clayton MK. (1992). Determination of the early age of onset of equine recurrent laryngeal neuropathy. 1. Muscle pathology. Acta Neuropathol, 84(3), 307-315. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00227824

Publication

ISSN: 0001-6322
NlmUniqueID: 0412041
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 84
Issue: 3
Pages: 307-315

Researcher Affiliations

Harrison, G D
  • Department of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706.
Duncan, I D
    Clayton, M K

      MeSH Terms

      • Animals
      • Histocytochemistry
      • Horse Diseases / pathology
      • Horses
      • Laryngeal Muscles / pathology
      • Male
      • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / pathology
      • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / veterinary
      • Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve / pathology
      • Staining and Labeling

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      Citations

      This article has been cited 4 times.
      1. Boissonnault È, Jeon A, Munin MC, Filippetti M, Picelli A, Haldane C, Reebye R. Assessing muscle architecture with ultrasound: implications for spasticity. Eur J Transl Myol 2024 May 30;34(2).
        doi: 10.4081/ejtm.2024.12397pubmed: 38818772google scholar: lookup
      2. Draper ACE, Piercy RJ. Pathological classification of equine recurrent laryngeal neuropathy. J Vet Intern Med 2018 Jul;32(4):1397-1409.
        doi: 10.1111/jvim.15142pubmed: 29691904google scholar: lookup
      3. Boyko AR, Brooks SA, Behan-Braman A, Castelhano M, Corey E, Oliveira KC, Swinburne JE, Todhunter RJ, Zhang Z, Ainsworth DM, Robinson NE. Genomic analysis establishes correlation between growth and laryngeal neuropathy in Thoroughbreds. BMC Genomics 2014 Apr 3;15:259.
        doi: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-259pubmed: 24707981google scholar: lookup
      4. Duncan ID. Determination of the early age of onset of equine recurrent laryngeal neuropathy. 2. Nerve pathology. Acta Neuropathol 1992;84(3):316-21.
        doi: 10.1007/BF00227825pubmed: 1329430google scholar: lookup