Incidence of peripheral neuropathy and cerebellar ataxia in chronic alcoholics

✍ Scribed by E. Scholz; H. C. Diener; J. Dichgans; H. D. Langohr; W. Schied; A. Schupmann

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1986
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 547 KB
• Volume: 233
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0340-5354
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00314021

✦ Synopsis

A total of 78 chronic alcoholics were examined neurologically as well as by electroneurography, myography and posturography. Clinical signs of peripheral neuropathy were detected in 45% of these patients, with electromyographic and neurographic abnormality in 67% and 55% respectively. Clinical signs of cerebellar ataxia were found in 33% of our patients, whereas posturographic measurements of increased sway were recorded in 69%. The posturographic characteristics of cerebellar anterior lobe atrophy were observed in two-thirds of the latter patients. The severity of cerebellar-ataxia did not correlate with the degree of neuropathy. This lack of correlation is interpreted as an indication of different pathogenetic mechanisms acting on peripheral nerves and cerebellum.