Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C M Poser

Publications and source records attributed to C M Poser.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Trauma and multiple sclerosis. An hypothesis.

An obligatory event in the pathogenesis of the multiple sclerosis plaque appears to be an increase in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. Neuropathological observations of the brain of persons suffering from concussion after relatively minor head injury, as well as of animals subjected to experimental brain injury, have shown that alterations of the blood-brain barrier constitute a common result of such trauma. It is postulated that the alterations of the blood-brain barrier secondary to trauma of the brain or spinal cord of patients with already established multiple sclerosis may result in an exacerbation or recurrence of a previously symptomatic plaque, in the appearance of symptoms from a silent lesion, or in the formation of a new plaque in such an area of selected vulnerability. In other persons injury to the nervous system may cause the development of multiple sclerosis plaques in the previously damaged areas when the disease has its onset after the trauma. There is no evidence to support the idea that trauma ever causes multiple sclerosis.

Adult↗

The peripheral nervous system in multiple sclerosis. A review and pathogenetic hypothesis.

Despite the rarity of such observations in autopsy material, peripheral nervous system involvement in patients with multiple sclerosis is more common than suspected, judging from results of sophisticated electrophysiological and teased nerve fiber studies. The existence of a number of well documented cases of overt peripheral neuropathy in MS patients suggests that an etiological link may exist between the two conditions. The proposal has been made that one of the obligatory steps in the pathogenesis of MS is an alteration of the blood-brain barrier, which results in most instances from an immunologically induced vasculopathy due to a non-specific viral infection. Whereas the CNS responds by the formation of MS plaques, the PNS lesion is that of the typical post-infectious inflammatory polyneuropathy. In some MS patients an unusual degree of immunological vulnerability causes onion-bulb formations to develop as a result of repeated antigenic challenges. In MS patients the onion-bulb formation is the PNS analog of the CNS plaque: both result from the same pathogenetic mechanism.

Humans↗

AIDS encephalomyelitis.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. A critical reappraisal.

The pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis remains a dilemma despite many years of study. Evidence for an infective agent is lacking: much doubt remains regarding the pathogenetic significance, if any, of the many reported alterations of the immune system. On the other hand, the well-documented facts that multiple sclerosis plaques are invariably located around blood vessels and that alterations of the blood-brain barrier permeability are always present in the plaque suggest that these old observations should be reconsidered. There is strong evidence to support the idea that the alteration of the blood-brain barrier is an obligatory step in the development of the plaque. It may result from a variety of environmental factors among which must be mentioned trauma to the nervous system, as well as the immunological changes resulting from viral infections and vaccinations. The available data lead to the following hypothesis: multiple sclerosis is a disease which requires the following factors for the production of demyelinating lesions of the central nervous system: a genetically determined susceptibility, an environmental, probably viral, probably immune-mediated initiatory event producing a symptomless systemic illness, a subsequent alteration of the blood-brain barrier resulting from diverse mechanisms including trauma or a second, immune-mediated event, a myelinoclastic plaque-forming mechanism which is operative only in the central nervous system.

Humans↗

Benign encephalopathy of pregnancy. Preliminary clinical observations.

A survey of 67 pregnancies in 51 professional women (physicians, psychologists, nurses, administrators, etc.) revealed the occurrence of symptoms of cognitive dysfunction such as forgetfulness, disorientation, confusion and reading difficulties in 28 pregnancies occurring in 21 women. These were unrelated to such factors as age of delivery, percentage weight gain, the baby's sex or birth weight, alcohol consumption, smoking, a history of migraine or allergy or other symptoms occurring during pregnancy such as sleepiness and lack of concentration, irritability, loss of interest in job or nightmares. Nor was there any correlation with hypertension, proteinuria, glycosuria, ketonuria, anemia, or morning sickness. Furthermore, these cognitive disturbances were not related to depression or sleep deprivation. Despite these symptoms, none of the women suffering from them were forced to interrupt their professional activities during pregnancy. The syndrome of benign encephalopathy of pregnancy should be recognized so that simple precautions can be taken to prevent any interference with professional or other activities. The etiology of the syndrome is unknown.

Cognition Disorders↗

Schilder's myelinoclastic diffuse sclerosis.

The term "Schilder's disease" has been used to describe conditions as disparate as adrenoleukodystrophy, myelinoclastic diffuse sclerosis, and postinfectious and postvaccinal encephalomyelitis. The eponymic designation should be reserved for instances of myelinoclastic diffuse sclerosis that correspond to the case described by Schilder in 1912. The diagnosis cannot be made unless adrenoleukodystrophy has been ruled out by analysis of the long-chain fatty acids of plasma cholesterol esters. Schilder's myelinoclastic diffuse sclerosis, a variant of multiple sclerosis, is a very rare disease that occurs in children and adults of both sexes and appears to respond to vigorous treatment with corticosteroids and/or corticotropin. A case of this disease is reported and the recent literature of cases that have been called Schilder's disease is reviewed.

Adrenoleukodystrophy↗

Late onset of Guillain-Barré syndrome.

The Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) usually occurs within one month of the precipitating cause. It is the purpose of this paper to show that typical cases may, however, appear weeks to months later. We have reviewed the collected data on these cases and suggest that they provide evidence which is in favour of a humoral, rather than a cell-mediated, aetiology for GBS.

Adult↗

Retrograde amnesia for forty years.

We describe a patient who, in the absence of anterograde amnesia, experienced sudden onset of profound retrograde amnesia for the last forty years of his life. The amnesia encompassed all knowledge, including motor skills, acquired during these forty years. There has been no recovery in over eighteen months. His symptoms seem most consistent with a vascular etiology. Current understanding of memory disorders fails to explain these symptoms. It may be that his case represents a previously undescribed disorder.

Activities of Daily Living↗