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Query: UMLS:C0085584 (encephalopathy)
 18,178 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A case of solvent encephalopathy presenting with persistent visual hallucinations, and characterised by a diffusely abnormal EEG and delayed visually evoked responses to checkerboard pattern reversal (VERs), is described. Abnormalities in the EEG and VERs showed minimal improvement over many months of abstinence from glue sniffing. The literature on the neurological sequelae of solvent abuse is reviewed.
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PMID:Persistent visual hallucinations secondary to chronic solvent encephalopathy: case report and review of the literature. 684 6

We report a neuropathological case of the brain of a 22-year-old male solvent abuser. He had also been diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia. Neurohistology revealed the presence of Rosenthal fibers (RFs) in subpial and perivascular collections in the medulla, the floor of the 3rd and 4th ventricles, and also in the spinal cord. There was mild demyelination in the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes, as well as the left dorsal column in the spinal cord. There was bilateral basal ganglia calcification. Demyelination and RFs have been the hallmark of the diagnosis of adult Alexander's disease. We urge that these are insufficient criteria for this nosological category, and suggest the alternative and more appropriate label of Rosenthal fiber encephalopathy. In view of the known toxic, clinical effects of chronic solvent abuse, and the lack of knowledge of the neuropathological effects, we also tentatively note the association of the solvent abuse with the neuropathology, but are unable to assert any causal link.
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PMID:Rosenthal fiber encephalopathy presenting with demyelination and Rosenthal fibers in a solvent abuser: adult Alexander's disease? 899 49

Organic solvent abuse is associated with increased risk for serious medical, neurological, and neuropsychological impairments. While animal research suggests that exposure to organic solvents (especially toluene) may be neurotoxic, much less is known about the consequences of long-term exposure in humans. We reviewed neuroimaging and neuropsychological studies examining chronic toluene misuse in humans. Thirty empirical studies fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria, including case studies (n=9) as well as group studies with (n=11) and without a control group (n=10). Our review indicates that toluene preferentially affects white matter (relative to gray matter) structures and periventricular/subcortical (relative to cortical) regions. The lipid-dependent distribution and pharmacokinetic properties of toluene appears to explain the pattern of MRI abnormalities, as well as the common symptoms and signs of toluene encephalopathy. The commonly observed neuropsychological deficits such as impairments in processing speed, sustained attention, memory retrieval, executive function and language, are also consistent with white matter pathology. We discuss the implications of these findings in the context of a neurodevelopmental framework, as well as the neuropathology and pathophysiology of toluene abuse. We also propose a set of recommendations to guide future research in this area.
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PMID:Toluene misuse and long-term harms: a systematic review of the neuropsychological and neuroimaging literature. 1845 29