sclerosis

(skle-ro’sis) (Gr. σκλήρωσις hardne ]. An induration, or hardening; especially hardening of a part from inflammation and in diseases of the interstitial substance. The term is used chietly for such a hardening of the nervous system due to hyperplasia of the connective ti ue. Alzheimer’s s., hyaline degeneration of the smaller cerebral _blood-ve els. otrophic lateral s., a disease marked by a hardening of the lateral columns of the spinal cord with muscular atrophy. It may invade the oblong at a and affect the ventral columns also. The disease always ends fatally in from one to three years, death occurring from extension of the hardening to the medulla oblong at a. annular s., sclerosis of the spinal cord, forming a band around it. anterolateral s., sclerosis of the ventral and lateral columns of the cord, leading to spastic paraplegia. Called also τεπέγο- lateral s. arterial s., arteriosclerosis. arteriocapillary 8. Same as arteriosclerosis. bone 8., eburnation. cerebral s., mul- tiple sclerosis of the brain. cerebrospinal s., multiple sclerosis of the brain and spinal cord. See multiple s. combined s., sclerosis of both the posterior and lateral columns of the cord. iffuse s., a form affecting large areas of the brain and cord. di eminated s., focal s., insular s. Same as multiple ς. lateral s., a form seated in the lateral columns of the cord. It occurs either as a primary affection, resulting in spastic paraplegia, attended with rigidity of the limbs, increase of the tendon reflexes, and absence of nutritive and sensory disturbance. The disease may also be secondary to myelitis, in which there is spastic paraplegia, with sensory and other disturbances. lobar 8., sclerosis involving an entire lobe of the brain.