Figure 4

Mutant SOD1 -induced motor neuron loss is ameliorated by steroid treatment in cranial motor nuclei but not the lumbar spinal cord. The total number of neurons (A, C, E, G), and the percentage of morphologically normal neurons (B, D, F, H) are reduced in all SOD1 ^G93A groups compared with WT mice. The SOD1 ^G93A 2B3-201 treatment group showed a general improvement in total number of neurons and the proportion of those with a normal morphological appearance, compared with both saline and free MP in the brainstem nuclei. No improvement was seen in the spinal cord. Frames I and J show an example of a neuron defined as morphologically normal (healthy, I) and an abnormal neuron with significant vacuolation (J). * p<0.01; ** p<0.001.