Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0013362 (dysarthria)
 3,768 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A 38 year-old laborer experienced solvent intoxication during each of two spray paintings of a dump truck and other heavy equipment in an enclosed, unventilated garage. The paint base consisted primarily of toluene and methyl ethyl ketone. Nausea, headaches, dizziness, respiratory difficulty and other symptoms began after exposures. Over the next several days he developed impaired concentration, memory loss and cerebellar signs including an intention tremor, gait ataxia and dysarthria. MRI of the brain and EGG early in the work-up were normal, although later MRIs demonstrated fluid collection over the left parietal area. Examination by a toxicologist and neurologist revealed likely toxic encephalopathy with dementia and cerebellar ataxia. Three formal neuropsychological assessments over 2 1/2 years quantified cognitive, motor and behavioral changes. Despite similar findings in chronic exposure to these solvents, lasting sequelae following acute exposure have not been widely reported.
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PMID:Chronic neuropsychological and neurological impairment following acute exposure to a solvent mixture of toluene and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK). 174 49

A 27-year-old man with a 10-year history of toluene abuse developed dementia, cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria and pyramidal signs. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed atrophy of the cerebrum, corpus callosum, cerebellum and brainstem. The internal capsule showed abnormal intensity. Chronic toluene abuse may affect not only the cerebral and cerebellar cortex or brainstem but also the subcortical cerebral white matter. MRI may be a sensitive tool to use in evaluating the severity and prognosis of the neurological syndrome resulting from toluene abuse.
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PMID:Encephalopathy due to toluene sniffing. Report of a case with magnetic resonance imaging. 228 14

Only few cases with prolonged cerebellar symptoms after toluene sniffing have previously been reported. We describe here an 18-year-old female who inhaled pure toluene since the age of 12. She developed neurological symptoms with broad-based ataxic gait, incoordination of arms and legs, unsteadiness, dysarthria, downbeat nystagmus, bilateral positive Babinski sign, and poor concentration and abstracting ability. During her 5 weeks in hospital when she did not inhale toluene, her symptoms persisted but decreased and after 8 months had disappeared.
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PMID:Cerebellar dysfunction related to toluene sniffing. 721 Nov 69

Paradichlorobenzene (PDB) is a common household deodorant and pesticide found in room deodorizers, toilet bowl fresheners, and some mothballs. Although human exposure to the compound is generally limited and harmless, PDB in larger doses can produce neurotoxic effects, including a chemical "high" similar to that seen with inhalants such as toluene. Although rare, frank addiction to PDB has been reported, and, in such cases, has been associated with gait ataxia, tremor, dysarthria, limb weakness, and bradyphrenia, in various combinations. In such cases, the adverse neurologic consequences have been presumed to result from a direct toxic effect of this small, organic molecule. We report a case of chronic mothball ingestion where profound encephalopathy with cognitive, pyramidal, extrapyramidal, and cerebellar features appears to have been largely the result of PDB withdrawal, rather than direct toxicity. This case raises important questions about the mechanism of PDB neurotoxicity and possible treatment options for PDB-addicted patients. We propose that in cases with clear clinical deterioration after abstinence, readministration and gradual taper of PDB might be considered a therapeutic option.
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PMID:Mothball withdrawal encephalopathy: case report and review of paradichlorobenzene neurotoxicity. 1734 27

The human cerebellum is composed of 2 hemispheres and a narrow medial section (vermis). Three pairs of dense fiber bundles (peduncles) connect the cerebellum to the brain. The cerebellum possesses widespread outgoing connections. Insult can result in neurologic deficits, including ataxia, hypotonia, dysarthria, and ocular motility problems. It is particularly susceptible to toxic effects of metabolic and medicinal insults. The cerebellum is potentially sensitive to alcohol, drug exposure, illicit drugs, and environmental poisons (mercury, lead, manganese, and toluene/benzene derivatives). The astute clinician must be aware of the multiple potential factors that can adversely affect cerebellar function.
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PMID:Toxic-metabolic, nutritional, and medicinal-induced disorders of cerebellum. 2543 88

We herein report the case of a 54-year-old man who abused toluene for 25 years and gradually developed gait disturbance. Neurological findings showed mild cognitive impairment, hearing impairment, dysarthria, marked hyperreflexia of the limbs, spastic paraplegia, slight impairment of deep sensation, and urinary disturbance; however, there was no muscular atrophy. Serum antibodies against human T-lymphocytic virus 1 and aquaporin 4 were negative. Biochemical analysis did not show an increase in very-long-chain fatty acids. The cerebrospinal fluid was normal for the cell number and protein level but positive for oligoclonal IgG band, with a mildly increased IgG index. Brain MRI showed marked high intensity in the bilateral periventricular, deep cerebral and subcortical white matter as well as atrophy of the cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem, and thinning of the corpus callosum. Spinal MRI showed marked atrophy of the lower cervical spinal cord, thoracic spinal cord, and conus medullaris. Spinal cord lesions are extremely rare in chronic toluene intoxications, and there are no reports of spinal cord atrophy. Lateral and ventral columns of the spinal cord are responsible for pyramidal tract signs, and insidious ongoing inflammation related to chronic toluene intoxication in the central nervous system is predicted to underlie the pathogenesis.
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PMID:[Generalized spinal cord atrophy and oligoclonal IgG band in the cerebrospinal fluid due to chronic toluene intoxication: a case report]. 3223 42