Biomaterial Database

[Polyneuropathy caused by disulfiram poisoning]. 1983

H J Schütz, and O Busse, and O Vuia

Disulfiram is known to produce toxic encephalopathy and peripheral neuropathy. The case of a 37-year-old alcoholic who attempted to commit suicide by taking 22.5 g disulfiram is described. During the first 6 days after the intoxication he was stuporous and had cerebellar ataxia and dysarthric speech. Then he became comatose, and as he recovered from coma, he showed peripheral neuropathy including diplegia faciei and severe tetraparesis. Denervation potentials were detected in both facial muscles and distal muscles of the upper and lower limbs, while conduction velocity was normal. Axonal degeneration was verified by sural nerve biopsy. In addition neurofilamentous axonopathy was documented. The recovery from his paresis lasted 2 years.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
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
D009431	Neural Conduction	The propagation of the NERVE IMPULSE along the nerve away from the site of an excitation stimulus.	Nerve Conduction,Conduction, Nerve,Conduction, Neural,Conductions, Nerve,Conductions, Neural,Nerve Conductions,Neural Conductions
D009468	Neuromuscular Diseases	A general term encompassing lower MOTOR NEURON DISEASE; PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES; and certain MUSCULAR DISEASES. Manifestations include MUSCLE WEAKNESS; FASCICULATION; muscle ATROPHY; SPASM; MYOKYMIA; MUSCLE HYPERTONIA, myalgias, and MUSCLE HYPOTONIA.	Amyotonia Congenita,Oppenheim Disease,Cramp-Fasciculation Syndrome,Fasciculation-Cramp Syndrome, Benign,Foley-Denny-Brown Syndrome,Oppenheim's Disease,Benign Fasciculation-Cramp Syndrome,Benign Fasciculation-Cramp Syndromes,Cramp Fasciculation Syndrome,Cramp-Fasciculation Syndromes,Fasciculation Cramp Syndrome, Benign,Fasciculation-Cramp Syndromes, Benign,Foley Denny Brown Syndrome,Neuromuscular Disease,Oppenheims Disease,Syndrome, Cramp-Fasciculation,Syndrome, Foley-Denny-Brown,Syndromes, Cramp-Fasciculation
D011115	Polyneuropathies	Diseases of multiple peripheral nerves simultaneously. Polyneuropathies usually are characterized by symmetrical, bilateral distal motor and sensory impairment with a graded increase in severity distally. The pathological processes affecting peripheral nerves include degeneration of the axon, myelin or both. The various forms of polyneuropathy are categorized by the type of nerve affected (e.g., sensory, motor, or autonomic), by the distribution of nerve injury (e.g., distal vs. proximal), by nerve component primarily affected (e.g., demyelinating vs. axonal), by etiology, or by pattern of inheritance.	Polyneuropathy, Acquired,Polyneuropathy, Critical Illness,Polyneuropathy, Familial,Polyneuropathy, Inherited,Polyneuropathy, Motor,Acquired Polyneuropathies,Acquired Polyneuropathy,Critical Illness Polyneuropathies,Critical Illness Polyneuropathy,Familial Polyneuropathies,Familial Polyneuropathy,Inherited Polyneuropathies,Inherited Polyneuropathy,Motor Polyneuropathies,Motor Polyneuropathy,Polyneuropathies, Acquired,Polyneuropathies, Critical Illness,Polyneuropathies, Familial,Polyneuropathies, Inherited,Polyneuropathies, Motor,Polyneuropathy
D011782	Quadriplegia	Severe or complete loss of motor function in all four limbs which may result from BRAIN DISEASES; SPINAL CORD DISEASES; PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES; NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASES; or rarely MUSCULAR DISEASES. The locked-in syndrome is characterized by quadriplegia in combination with cranial muscle paralysis. Consciousness is spared and the only retained voluntary motor activity may be limited eye movements. This condition is usually caused by a lesion in the upper BRAIN STEM which injures the descending cortico-spinal and cortico-bulbar tracts.	Quadriparesis,Spastic Quadriplegia,Tetraplegia,Flaccid Quadriplegia,Flaccid Tetraplegia,Paralysis, Spinal, Quadriplegic,Spastic Tetraplegia,Flaccid Quadriplegias,Flaccid Tetraplegias,Quadripareses,Quadriplegia, Flaccid,Quadriplegia, Spastic,Quadriplegias,Quadriplegias, Flaccid,Quadriplegias, Spastic,Spastic Quadriplegias,Spastic Tetraplegias,Tetraplegia, Flaccid,Tetraplegia, Spastic,Tetraplegias,Tetraplegias, Flaccid,Tetraplegias, Spastic
D003128	Coma	A profound state of unconsciousness associated with depressed cerebral activity from which the individual cannot be aroused. Coma generally occurs when there is dysfunction or injury involving both cerebral hemispheres or the brain stem RETICULAR FORMATION.	Comatose,Pseudocoma,Comas,Pseudocomas
D004221	Disulfiram	A carbamate derivative used as an alcohol deterrent. It is a relatively nontoxic substance when administered alone, but markedly alters the intermediary metabolism of alcohol. When alcohol is ingested after administration of disulfiram, blood acetaldehyde concentrations are increased, followed by flushing, systemic vasodilation, respiratory difficulties, nausea, hypotension, and other symptoms (acetaldehyde syndrome). It acts by inhibiting aldehyde dehydrogenase.	Tetraethylthiuram Disulfide,Alcophobin,Antabus,Antabuse,Anticol,Bis(diethylthiocarbamoyl) Disulfide,Dicupral,Esperal,Tetraethylthioperoxydicarbonic Diamide, ((H2N)C(S))2S2,Teturam,Disulfide, Tetraethylthiuram
D004576	Electromyography	Recording of the changes in electric potential of muscle by means of surface or needle electrodes.	Electromyogram,Surface Electromyography,Electromyograms,Electromyographies,Electromyographies, Surface,Electromyography, Surface,Surface Electromyographies