Abstract
Marchiafava–Bignami disease (MBD) is a rare alcohol-associated disorder. Clinical features include not only disturbed consciousness, dysarthria, tetraparesis, astasia-abasia, and symptoms of interhemispheric disconnection as initial symptoms but also cognitive deficits as clinical outcomes. The clinical significance of cerebral microhemorrhage (CMH) has been recognized in patients with cognitive deficits; however, the presence of CMH in patients with MBD has not been emphasized. The aim of the present study was to clarify the relationship between CMH and MBD. For this purpose, we report four patients with MBD, who showed asymmetrical hypointense areas in multiple cortico-subcortical regions on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI). All cases had a history of chronic alcohol abuse and symmetrical lesions in the entire corpus callosum. These patients’ clinical symptoms included not only coma, dysarthria, and astasia-abasia as initial symptoms but also dementia as a clinical outcome. SWI showed asymmetrical hypointense areas in the multiple cortico-subcortical regions, indicating the presence of CMH. Compared with patients with normal cognitive function, demented patients showed higher severity of CMH. Our report would indicate that CMH is an important factor indicating the severity of dementia in patients with MBD.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Canaple S, Rosa A, Mizon JP (1992) Marchiafava–Bignami disease. Interhemispheric disconnection, favourable outcome, neurological aspect. Rev Neurol (Paris) 148:638–640
Heinrich A, Runge U, Khaw AV (2004) Clinicoradiologic subtypes of Marchiafava–Bignami disease. J Neurol 251:1050–1059
Cordonnier C, van der Flier WM, Sluimer JD, Leys D, Barkhof F, Scheltens P (2006) Prevalence and severity of microbleeds in a memory clinic setting. Neurology 66:1356–1360
Viswanathan A, Chabriat H (2006) Cerebral microhemorrhage. Stroke 37:550–555
De Reuck J, Auger F, Cordonnier C, Deramecourt V, Durieux N, Pasquier F, Bordet R, Maurage CA, Leys D (2011) Comparison of 7.0-T T2*-magnetic resonance imaging of cerebral bleeds in post-mortem brain sections of Alzheimer patients with their neuropathological correlates. Cerebrovasc Dis 31:511–517
Shiota JY, Nakano I, Kawamura M, Hirayama K (1996) An autopsy case of Marchiafava–Bignami disease with peculiar chronological CT changes in the corpus callosum: neuroradiopathological correlations. J Neurol Sci 136:90–93
Kopelman MD, Thomson AD, Guerrini I, Marshall EJ (2009) The Korsakoff syndrome: clinical aspects, psychology and treatment. Alcohol Alcohol 44:148–154
Victor M, Adams RD, Collins GH (1971) The Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome. A clinical and pathological study of 245 patients, 82 with post-mortem examinations. Contemp Neurol Ser 7:1–206
Greenberg SM, Vernooij MW, Cordonnier C, Viswanathan A, Al-Shahi Salman R, Warach S, Launer LJ, Van Buchem MA, Breteler MM, Group MS (2009) Cerebral microbleeds: a guide to detection and interpretation. Lancet Neurol 8:165–174
Acknowledgments
This research was partly supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) (No. 24720190) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (to RK).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kinno, R., Yamamoto, M., Yamazaki, T. et al. Cerebral microhemorrhage in Marchiafava–Bignami disease detected by susceptibility-weighted imaging. Neurol Sci 34, 545–548 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-012-1147-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-012-1147-1