Hypothalamic syndrome

The difficult simptomny complex which is characterized by trophic, endocrine, vegetative and exchange frustration, developing against the background of defeat of hypothalamic area is called a hypothalamic syndrome.

Distinguish the following forms of a disease:

• Vegetovascular;
• Diencephalic (hypothalamic) epilepsy;
• Neurotrophic;
• Thermal control disturbance;
• Pseudo-neurotic;
• Psychopathological;
• Neuromuscular;
• Frustration of a dream and wakefulness.

Most often in medical practice the vegetovascular form – 32% meets, the syndrome with dominance of exchange and endocrine disturbances comes to light among 27% of patients with a hypothalamic syndrome, 10% of patients appear with a neuromuscular form, and 4% – with thermal control disturbance.

Possible complications of a simptomny complex are the gynecomastia, a degeneration of ovaries and a myocardial dystrophy.

Reasons of a hypothalamic syndrome

The disease can arise against the background of craniocereberal injuries, acute and chronic neuroinfection and intoxication, insufficiency of cerebral circulation, chronic diseases and endocrine disturbances of internals. Also brain tumors, psychological injuries, stresses, intellectual an overstrain and an alcoholic poisoning can be the reasons of a hypothalamic syndrome.

Symptoms of a hypothalamic syndrome

Most often symptoms of a hypothalamic syndrome are:

• Vegeto-vascular neuroendocrinal frustration;
• Frustration of a dream and wakefulness;
• Disturbance of thermal control and the increased perspiration;
• Increased fatigue and general weakness;
• Feeling of shortage of air;
• Unstable chair;
• Pains in heart and lability of pulse;
• Tachycardia and asymmetry of the ABP;
• Tremor of fingers of outstretched arms and century;
• Tendency to allergic reactions;
• The expressed dermographism and emotional disturbances.

Often changes of weather conditions, the emotional tension, painful factors and periods, provoke vegeto-vascular paroxysms at a hypothalamic syndrome. Such attacks generally begin closer by the night, nothing foretells their beginning, last on average of 15 min. to 3 h and more. With a hypothalamic syndrome the hyper dysinsulinism with the broken tolerance to glucose, and also disturbance water-salt and a lipometabolism is found in most of patients.

Hypothalamic syndrome of the pubertal period

Clinical expression of disturbance of adrenocorticotropic function of a hypophysis is the hypothalamic syndrome of the pubertal period.

Usually the origin of a disease does not manage to be established, however the significant role in development of a syndrome is played by frequent quinsies, chronic intoxications and infections at children's age, birth trauma, and also excessive alcohol intake at teenage age.

The hypothalamic syndrome of the pubertal period at children at the age of 12-15 years develops, is more rare in 17-19 years, is more often at persons of a female. Patients during from 11 to 13 years begin to grow strenuously, especially considerably this feature is shown at young men who very quickly overtake in growth of the peers.

Symptoms of a hypothalamic syndrome of the pubertal period is the following:

• Frequent headaches;
• Thirst;
• Increased fatigue;
• Excess body weight;
• Psychological disturbances – tearfulness, depressiveness and irritability;
• Permanent increase in the ABP;
• Unsatiable hunger;
• Tranzitorny hypertensia;
• Hyperkeratosis in places of friction of clothes, in a waist, cervical folds, the outside surface of shoulders and elbow joints;
• Disturbance of a menstrual cycle.

The adiposity generally occurs in mammary glands, buttocks, a pubis and shoulder girdle because of what the neck looks thick and short, at the patient shoulders rise, the person becomes roundish, on cheeks the pathological flush appears.

At patients with a pubertal hypothalamic syndrome the skin trophicity is broken, it gets a marble and cyanochroic color and becomes cold to the touch, in particular in hips and buttocks. Often in a stomach, shoulders, mammary glands, a thorax and buttocks reddish are formed, stretching strips are more rare crimson and cyanochroic.

At girls before the put term secondary sexual characteristics form, appearance of boys gains effeminate character, face hair do not grow at all, or is very poor, even at the end of the puberty period.

Diagnosis of a hypothalamic syndrome

For diagnosis and the subsequent purpose of adequate treatment, the patient should ask for medical assistance the neurologist. The doctor has to define an etiology of a hypothalamic syndrome and the leading component of a disease, at diagnosis results of test on Zimnitsky and a sugar curve, an electroencephalography and thermometry in three points have special value. Specification of the diagnosis requires also ultrasonography and a computer tomography of adrenal glands.

Treatment of a hypothalamic syndrome

After confirmation of the diagnosis the doctor starts selection of adequate therapy. A basis of treatment of a hypothalamic syndrome is use of a number of medicines, namely:

• Means which action is directed to treatment of a basic disease;
• Selectively influencing a condition of a parasympathetic and sympathetic tone – Bellaspon, Pyrroxanum, Obsidanum, Platyphyllinum, ganglioblokator and drugs of a belladonna;
• Antidepressants and anxiolytics;
• Glucose, Haemodesum and isotonic solution of sodium chloride (for desintoxication of an organism);
• Fortifying means.

Recently the increasing popularity at treatment of a hypothalamic syndrome is gained by an acupuncture method as its efficiency is confirmed by results of many patients.

If the disease is followed by disturbance of carbohydrate metabolism, to the patient appoint a special diet, vitamin therapy, anoreksant and guanyl guanidines.

Also treatment of a hypothalamic syndrome has to include restriction of a mental and physical overstrain of the patient, a wakefulness exception at night, under observation of the doctor of the patient has to carry out remedial gymnastics and visit physical therapy.

The hypothalamic syndrome represents the difficult simptomny complex arising owing to craniocereberal injuries, stresses, intellectual retension, endocrine disturbances, etc. The neurologist has to be engaged in diagnosis and treatment of a disease, it is important to know that self-treatment can lead to irreversible effects.