RESUMO
Three necropsied cases of chronic, sporadic brainstem encephalitis of unknown aetiology are presented. Since their outstanding symptoms were dementia and ataxia of a progressive nature, a noninflammatory disease of the central nervous system was suspected. Neuropathological studies showed chronic inflammatory changes mainly in the brainstem without the presence of inclusion bodies or viral particles. Compared to cases previously reported as brainstem encephalitis, the clinical and pathological findings observed in these cases have rather peculiar characteristics.
Assuntos
Tronco Encefálico/patologia , Ataxia Cerebelar/patologia , Encefalite/patologia , Esquizofrenia/patologia , Adulto , Cerebelo/patologia , Doenças Desmielinizantes/patologia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Bulbo/patologia , Mesencéfalo/patologia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Neuroglia/patologia , Ponte/patologia , Medula Espinal/patologia , Tálamo/patologiaRESUMO
Following chronic administration of disulfiram to rats, changes of the brain were examined electron-microscopically. Pathological findings were observed in the nerve cells of the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus at later stage and synaptic changes in the hypothalamus from initial stage. On the other hand, changes of myelinated fibers, neuroglias and capillaries were very slight. It was considered that neurons were affected more predominantly than other neuronal elements by the cytotoxic action of the drug, and that the synaptic changes of the hypothalamus might reveal chronic disturbance of noradrenergic transmission by inhibition of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase. These ultrastructural findings might relate to the pathogenic mechanism of the disulfiram psychosis.