Encephalopathy

Encephalopathy is a nonspecific term describing a syndrome affecting the brain. Generally, it refers to involvement of large parts of the brain (or the whole organ), instead of identifiable changes confined to parts of the brain. Encephalopathy may refer to the clinical findings: altered mental state without focal findings; or, more generally, it may refer to the pathophysiologythat causes these findings.

There are many different causes of encephalopathy. An example is hepatic encephalopathy, which occurs in severe cirrhosisof the liver. A form of encephalopathy that has recentlyreceived a lot of coverage is bovine spongiform encephalopathy(BSE, "mad cow disease").

Symptoms and causes

Encephalopathy alters brain function and/or structure. It may be caused by an infectious agent (bacteria, virus, or prion), metabolicor mitochondrialdysfunction, brain tumoror increased intracranial pressure, prolonged exposure to toxic elements (including solvents, drugs, radiation, paints, industrial chemicals, and certain metals), chronic progressive trauma, poor nutrition, or lack of oxygenor blood flow to the brain.

The hallmark of encephalopathy is an altered mental state. Depending on the type and severity of encephalopathy, common neurological symptoms are progressive loss of memory and cognitive ability, subtle personality changes, inability to concentrate, lethargy, and progressive loss of consciousness. Other neurological symptoms may include myoclonus(involuntary twitching of a muscle or group of muscles), nystagmus(rapid, involuntary eye movement), tremor, muscle atrophyand weakness, dementia, seizures, and loss of ability to swallow or speak.

Diagnosis

Blood tests, spinal fluid examination by lumbar puncture, imaging studies, electroencephalogramsand similar diagnostic studies may be used to differentiate the various causes of encephalopathy.

Therapy

Treatment is symptomatic and varies, according to the type and severity of the encephalopathy. Anticonvulsantsmay be prescribed to reduce or halt any seizures. Changes to diet and nutritional supplements may help some patients. In severe cases, dialysis or organ replacement surgery may be needed.

Prognosis

Treating the underlying cause of the disorder may improve or reverse symptoms. However, in some cases, the encephalopathy may cause permanent structural changes and irreversible damage to the brain. Some encephalopathies can be fatal.

Reference

• Adapted from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/encephalopathy/encephalopathy.htmde:Enzephalopathie

pl:Encefalopatia

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encephalopathy Wikipedia article Encephalopathy.