Wernicke's encephalopathy: an experimental study in the rhesus monkey. 1975

N K Blank, and N A Vick, and S Schulman

Experimental Wernicke's encephalopathy, induced in rhesus monkeys with a diet lacking thiamine (vitamin B1), is characterized by cavitary necrosis of the striatum as well as a microvacuolar periventricular lesion of the brain stem such as occurs in man. With high resolution light microscopy and electron microscopy, the primary structural alteration in the brain stem lesion, and probably also in the striatum, appears to be that of widespread "blister" formation due to splitting of myelin at the intraperiod line. Microvascular alterations were minimal, even in the most severely affected regions. It is the myelin blisters which give rise to the spongy texture of the neuropil. A similar splitting of myelin has been described in several other experimental encephalopathies, and it is probable that it also occurs in Wernicke's encephalopathy in man.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008253 Macaca mulatta A species of the genus MACACA inhabiting India, China, and other parts of Asia. The species is used extensively in biomedical research and adapts very well to living with humans. Chinese Rhesus Macaques,Macaca mulatta lasiota,Monkey, Rhesus,Rhesus Monkey,Rhesus Macaque,Chinese Rhesus Macaque,Macaca mulatta lasiotas,Macaque, Rhesus,Rhesus Macaque, Chinese,Rhesus Macaques,Rhesus Macaques, Chinese,Rhesus Monkeys
D008928 Mitochondria Semiautonomous, self-reproducing organelles that occur in the cytoplasm of all cells of most, but not all, eukaryotes. Each mitochondrion is surrounded by a double limiting membrane. The inner membrane is highly invaginated, and its projections are called cristae. Mitochondria are the sites of the reactions of oxidative phosphorylation, which result in the formation of ATP. They contain distinctive RIBOSOMES, transfer RNAs (RNA, TRANSFER); AMINO ACYL T RNA SYNTHETASES; and elongation and termination factors. Mitochondria depend upon genes within the nucleus of the cells in which they reside for many essential messenger RNAs (RNA, MESSENGER). Mitochondria are believed to have arisen from aerobic bacteria that established a symbiotic relationship with primitive protoeukaryotes. (King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed) Mitochondrial Contraction,Mitochondrion,Contraction, Mitochondrial,Contractions, Mitochondrial,Mitochondrial Contractions
D009186 Myelin Sheath The lipid-rich sheath surrounding AXONS in both the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEMS and PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. The myelin sheath is an electrical insulator and allows faster and more energetically efficient conduction of impulses. The sheath is formed by the cell membranes of glial cells (SCHWANN CELLS in the peripheral and OLIGODENDROGLIA in the central nervous system). Deterioration of the sheath in DEMYELINATING DISEASES is a serious clinical problem. Myelin,Myelin Sheaths,Sheath, Myelin,Sheaths, Myelin
D009336 Necrosis The death of cells in an organ or tissue due to disease, injury or failure of the blood supply.
D001933 Brain Stem The part of the brain that connects the CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES with the SPINAL CORD. It consists of the MESENCEPHALON; PONS; and MEDULLA OBLONGATA. Brainstem,Truncus Cerebri,Brain Stems,Brainstems,Cerebri, Truncus,Cerebrus, Truncus,Truncus Cerebrus
D002196 Capillaries The minute vessels that connect arterioles and venules. Capillary Beds,Sinusoidal Beds,Sinusoids,Bed, Sinusoidal,Beds, Sinusoidal,Capillary,Capillary Bed,Sinusoid,Sinusoidal Bed
D003342 Corpus Striatum Striped GRAY MATTER and WHITE MATTER consisting of the NEOSTRIATUM and paleostriatum (GLOBUS PALLIDUS). It is located in front of and lateral to the THALAMUS in each cerebral hemisphere. The gray substance is made up of the CAUDATE NUCLEUS and the lentiform nucleus (the latter consisting of the GLOBUS PALLIDUS and PUTAMEN). The WHITE MATTER is the INTERNAL CAPSULE. Lenticular Nucleus,Lentiform Nucleus,Lentiform Nuclei,Nucleus Lentiformis,Lentiformis, Nucleus,Nuclei, Lentiform,Nucleus, Lenticular,Nucleus, Lentiform,Striatum, Corpus
D003711 Demyelinating Diseases Diseases characterized by loss or dysfunction of myelin in the central or peripheral nervous system. Clinically Isolated CNS Demyelinating Syndrome,Clinically Isolated Syndrome, CNS Demyelinating,Demyelinating Disorders,Demyelination,Demyelinating Disease,Demyelinating Disorder,Demyelinations
D004195 Disease Models, Animal Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases. Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia

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