Developmental changes of nerve growth factor levels in the gracile axonal dystrophy mouse.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) levels were measured in various tissues of the gracile axonal dystrophy (GAD) mouse. When the disease had fully progressed, the NGF levels in the skeletal muscle, dorsal root ganglion and the spinal cord were decreased. These findings suggest that a reduction of the NGF level is involved in the pathophysiological processes in the GAD mouse.