T lymphocytes in peripheral blood from patients with neurological diseases.

Absolute and relative numbers of T lymphocytes in peripheral blood were determined in 19 different groups of patients with neurological diseases, using the E-rosette test. A significantly decreased total number of T lymphocytes was found in the following groups: acute Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), active multiple sclerosis (MS), and malignant cerebral tumor. A less pronounced and not significant reduction was observed in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In all other groups of patients normal total numbers of T lymphocytes were found, thus indicating that the decrease in T lymphocyte counts in GBS, MS and malignant cerebral tumors is not due to nonspecific injury of nerve tissue.