Biomaterial Database

Astrogliosis in von Economo's and postencephalitic Parkinson's diseases supports probable viral etiology. 1991

T S Elizan, and J Casals

Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine City University of New York, NY 10029.

A marked generalized astrogliosis was observed in the frontal and temporal white matter from a case of von Economo's disease and another of postencephalitic Parkinson's disease, which areas were otherwise devoid of any other demonstrable microscopic lesions. No similar astrocytic reaction of any severity was observed in the same areas in a number of other brain diseases or controls, except when other kinds of lesions were present in the same section, with reactive astrocytes being present within the primary or defining lesion or immediately close by. The marked astrogliosis in von Economo's and postencephalitic Parkinson's diseases in areas "distant" from the primary lesions seeming to indicate extensive pathological involvement, added to the strong qualitative and quantitative similarity of this reaction to that observed in concurrently studied cases of encephalitides caused by the human immunodeficiency virus, lend further factual support to the hypothesis of a viral etiology, albeit unspecified, in both von Economo's and postencephalitic Parkinson's diseases.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D010301	Parkinson Disease, Postencephalitic	Parkinsonism following encephalitis, historically seen as a sequella of encephalitis lethargica (Von Economo Encephalitis). The early age of onset, the rapid progression of symptoms followed by stabilization, and the presence of a variety of other neurological disorders (e.g., sociopathic behavior; TICS; MUSCLE SPASMS; oculogyric crises; hyperphagia; and bizarre movements) distinguish this condition from primary PARKINSON DISEASE. Pathologic features include neuronal loss and gliosis concentrated in the MESENCEPHALON; SUBTHALAMUS; and HYPOTHALAMUS. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p754)	Encephalitis Lethargica Type Parkinsonism,Parkinsonism, Viral Meningoencephalitic,Postencephalitic Parkinsonism,Parkinson Disease, Post-Encephalitic,Parkinsonian Syndrome, Postencephalitis,Parkinsonism, Postencephalitic,Post-Encephalitic Parkinson Disease,Postencephalitic Economo-Type Parkinsonism,Postencephalitic Parkinson Disease,Viral Meningoencephalitic Parkinsonism,von Economo Encephalitis Type Parkinsonism,Economo-Type Parkinsonism, Postencephalitic,Meningoencephalitic Parkinsonism, Viral,Parkinson Disease, Post Encephalitic,Parkinsonism, Postencephalitic Economo-Type,Parkinsonisms, Viral Meningoencephalitic,Post Encephalitic Parkinson Disease,Postencephalitic Economo Type Parkinsonism,Postencephalitis Parkinsonian Syndrome
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D003937	Diagnosis, Differential	Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures.	Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D004671	Encephalitis, Arbovirus	Infections of the brain caused by arthropod-borne viruses (i.e., arboviruses) primarily from the families TOGAVIRIDAE; FLAVIVIRIDAE; BUNYAVIRIDAE; REOVIRIDAE; and RHABDOVIRIDAE. Life cycles of these viruses are characterized by ZOONOSES, with birds and lower mammals serving as intermediate hosts. The virus is transmitted to humans by the bite of mosquitoes (CULICIDAE) or TICKS. Clinical manifestations include fever, headache, alterations of mentation, focal neurologic deficits, and COMA. (From Clin Microbiol Rev 1994 Jan;7(1):89-116; Walton, Brain's Diseases of the Nervous System, 10th ed, p321)	Arthropod-Borne Encephalitis,Australian Encephalitis,Encephalitis, Epidemic,Mosquito-Borne Encephalitis,Murray Valley Encephalitis,Arboviral Encephalitis,Arthropod-Borne Viral Encephalitis,Encephalitis, Arthropod-Borne,Encephalitis, Mosquito-Borne,Epidemic Encephalitis,Viral Encephalitis, Arthropod-Borne,Arboviral Encephalitides,Arbovirus Encephalitides,Arbovirus Encephalitis,Arthropod Borne Encephalitis,Arthropod Borne Viral Encephalitis,Arthropod-Borne Encephalitides,Arthropod-Borne Viral Encephalitides,Encephalitis, Arboviral,Encephalitis, Arthropod Borne,Encephalitis, Arthropod-Borne Viral,Encephalitis, Australian,Encephalitis, Mosquito Borne,Encephalitis, Murray Valley,Epidemic Encephalitides,Mosquito Borne Encephalitis,Mosquito-Borne Encephalitides,Valley Encephalitis, Murray,Viral Encephalitis, Arthropod Borne
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D001253	Astrocytes	A class of large neuroglial (macroglial) cells in the central nervous system - the largest and most numerous neuroglial cells in the brain and spinal cord. Astrocytes (from "star" cells) are irregularly shaped with many long processes, including those with "end feet" which form the glial (limiting) membrane and directly and indirectly contribute to the BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER. They regulate the extracellular ionic and chemical environment, and "reactive astrocytes" (along with MICROGLIA) respond to injury.	Astroglia,Astroglia Cells,Astroglial Cells,Astrocyte,Astroglia Cell,Astroglial Cell,Astroglias,Cell, Astroglia,Cell, Astroglial