Neuropathology of Rett Syndrome

The neuropathology of the Rett syndrome is summarized utilizing a format of clinical pathological correlations, describing the pathology at specific anatomic sites which could correlate with the well defined clinical signs and symptoms in the Rett syndrome; decreased head and body size, autism, gait dysfunction, spasticity, movement and breathing disorder. Published reports of altered morphology in the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, substantia nigra, cerebellum, spinal cord, muscle, nerve, pituitary gland and somatic organs are supplemented by the author's observations. These include studies of dendritic morphology employing Scholl analysis of Golgi preparation, and quantitation of cerebellar Purkinje cells. The possible pathoetiology of the Rett syndrome is considered, particularly, in relation to the ultrastructural demonstration of altered mitochondria and accumulations of lipidic bodies in several tissues.