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Frederick R. Bieber, PhD; Gabriel Mortimer, MB, BCh; Edwin H. Kolodny, MD; Shirley G. Driscoll, MD

Arch Neurol. 1986;43(7):736-738.

Abstract
• A 24-week fetus with GM₁ gangliosidosis (type 1) was studied using biochemical and histopathologic methods. Foam cells in viscera and placenta demonstrated widespread accumulation of a lipidlike material. By microscopy, central nervous system storage appeared confined to the retina and dorsal root ganglia, but the brain ganglioside content was measurably elevated compared with that of age-matched controls. These data, along with those of others, imply that, if the observed pathologic findings are irreversible, any attempts at intrauterine therapy must commence prior to the middle of the second trimester.

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Pathology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston (Drs Bieber, Mortimer, and Driscoll); Harvard Medical School, Boston (Drs Bieber, Kolodny, and Driscoll); Children's Service (Dr Bieber) and Neurology Service (Dr Kolodny), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; and Department of Biochemistry, Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center for Mental Retardation, Waltham, Mass (Dr Kolodny).

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Jan 24, 1986.

Reprint requests to Department of Pathology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115 (Dr Bieber).