Toxic encephalopathy

Description:

Toxic encephalopathy represents scattered organic lesion of a brain which can develop as after serious acute poisoning neurotropic poisons, and at chronic professional neurointoxications.

Symptoms of Toxic encephalopathy:

The following symptomatology is characteristic of an initial form of toxic encephalopathy: complaints to persistent headaches, dizziness, decrease in memory, general weakness, increased fatigue, sleep disorder, etc. Against the background of sharp astenisation there is a scattered organic symptomatology which does not keep within a picture of any accurately outlined nosological unit (asymmetry of a front innervation, deviation of language, an easy gipomimiya, reflexes of oral automatism, high tendon jerks, often an anizorefleksiya, easing or disappearance of cutaneous reflexes). Along with it disturbances of the psychoemotional sphere are observed: decrease in memory, attention and intellectual working capacity, sluggishness, block, apathy, unmotivated alarm, oppressed mood, the expressed emotional lability.

Most often at toxic encephalopathies stem and diencephalic departments suffer, quite often cerebellar, optiko-vestibular and extrapyramidal systems are involved in process. The general feature toxic encephalopathies is absent-mindedness of defeat. However each toxic substance gives to a disease the clinical features. So, at manganese encephalopathy against the background of diffusion pathology of a brain focal subcrustal symptoms begin to appear. At the encephalopathies caused by chronic influence of carbon monoxide, clinical feature is development of the cerebral and cardial angiodystonic frustration proceeding against the background of organic diffusion lesion of a brain.

Disturbances of mentality at various encephalopathies also have some features. So, decrease of the activity, lack of an initiative, oppressed mood, melancholy, indifference to all to the aspects of life interesting the patient are characteristic before of serouglerodny encephalopathy. The same astheno-depressive syndrome often arises at the encephalopathies which developed owing to chronic intoxication ethylated gasoline. The combination of the increased, emotional excitability to confusion, painful shyness, indecision and uncertainty in itself is peculiar to mercury encephalopathy.

Terms of development toxic encephalopathies are various. So, at intoxications carbon sulfur and manganese encephalopathy develops much quicker, than at chronic intoxication mercury, lead or carbon monoxide.

Toxic encephalopathies are inherent to a current resistance of pathological manifestations, existence of the residual phenomena in the remote period and bent to progressing out of contact with the toxic agent. Pathoanatomical data specify that toxic encephalopathies are the cornerstone vascular damages of a brain and scattered degenerative changes of brain fabric.

Reasons of Toxic encephalopathy:

As it is known, early clinical displays of various chronic intoxications and the majority of cases are functional disturbances of the central nervous system. When progressing intoxication there is a gradual development of neurodynamic disturbances into a stage of organic changes - the picture of toxic encephalopathy develops. The organic nature of a disease quite often can mask a long time asthenic or neurotic lines in this connection transition from a functional stage in organic not always comes to light timely.

Treatment of Toxic encephalopathy:

Treatment toxic encephalopathies presents considerable difficulties. It is reasonable to carry out it in stationary conditions. Complex therapy (a combination of etiological, pathogenetic and symptomatic levers) is most effective; use of antidotes and complexons at intoxications metals; use of the drugs normalizing oxidizing processes, fermental disturbances, and also improving exchange of amines (glutaminic acid, glucose with ascorbic acid, B1, B6 vitamins, etc.); purpose of the means improving cerebral blood circulation and eliminating liquorodynamic frustration (an injection of an Euphyllinum, a papaverine, Dibazolum, sulfate magnesium); oxygenotherapy; use of stimulators of the central nervous system (caffeine), antihistaminic drugs (Dimedrol, Suprastinum) and psychotropic drugs. Patients with toxic encephalopathy need constant medical observation and carrying out repeated courses of therapy.