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Coma and Encephalopathy

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Emergencies in Neurology

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Abstract

The term encephalopathy refers to a syndrome of global brain dysfunction that can be caused by a variety of different causes, each with a different prognosis and implication for diagnosis and management. The hallmark of encephalopathy is an altered mental state. The common neurological symptoms of encephalopathy are loss of cognitive function, subtle changes in personality, inability to concentrate, lethargy and depressed consciousness. The other neurological signs that may be present include myoclonus, asterixis, nystagmus, tremors, seizures and respiratory abnormalities, such as Cheyne–Stokes respiration, apneustic respiration and post-hypercapnic apnoea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

    M. V. Padma Srivastava

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  1. M. V. Padma Srivastava
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

    Mamta Bhushan Singh

  2. Department of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

    Rohit Bhatia

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Padma Srivastava, M.V. (2019). Coma and Encephalopathy. In: Singh, M., Bhatia, R. (eds) Emergencies in Neurology . Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-5866-1_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-5866-1_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-13-5864-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-5866-1

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