In:
Neurology, Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health), Vol. 46, No. 1 ( 1996-01), p. 223-227
Abstract:
Article abstract-We describe the clinical, imaging, and pathologic findings in a patient with mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS). The patient experienced her first stroke-like episode at age forty-four. Brain MRI, obtained at symptom onset, at 3 weeks, and at 1 year, revealed migrating T 2 -weighted hyperintensities in the temporal/parietal and occipital cortices and later revealed atrophy. Abnormal cerebrovascular reserve was evident on xenon/CT four days after the first MRI. MR spectroscopy at 1 year revealed increased lactate in both the occipital and the temporal lobes. Histologic sections demonstrated spongy degeneration of the cortex that was most prominent at the crests of the gyri. Electron microscopy of the blood vessels showed increased numbers of abnormal mitochondria within the vascular smooth muscle and in endothelial cells. We hypothesize that the stroke-like episodes in MELAS may be due to impaired autoregulation secondary to the impaired metabolic activity of mitochondria in the endothelial and smooth muscle cells of blood vessels. NEUROLOGY 1996;46: 223-227
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0028-3878
,
1526-632X
DOI:
10.1212/WNL.46.1.223
Language:
English
Publisher:
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Publication Date:
1996
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