IntroductionInfluenza virus-associated encephalitis/encephalopathy is a severe childhood illness with a poor prognosis. Adult case reports are rare and, to date, there have been no reports of adults with a mild subcortical encephalopathy with reversible lesions of the corpus callosum splenium.Case presentationA previously healthy 35-year-old man presented with acute progressive tetraplegia, transcortical motor aphasia and a mild decrease in his consciousness during his recovery after receiving oseltamivir phosphate treatment, and influenza type A antiviral medication. The initial magnetic resonance imaging study at day 1 showed symmetrical diffuse lesions in the white matter and a lesion on the central portion of the corpus callosum splenium. These findings had resolved on follow-up studies at day 8 and day 146. His neurological deficits mostly recovered within 12 hours following methylprednisolone pulse therapy. The levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 in his blood and cerebrospinal fluid were initially elevated, but rapidly decreased to normal levels by day 8.ConclusionIt is important for clinicians to recognize that even in adulthood, the subcortical encephalopathy observed during the therapeutic treatment for influenza type A infection can occur in conjunction with a reversible lesion of the corpus callosum, which may recover quickly. In addition, the cytokine storm in the blood system and the corticospinal cavity may play an important role in the etiology of the disease process.
X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT1X) is the second most common variant of CMT and is caused by mutations in the GJB1 gene encoding connexin 32. Some CMT1X patients with GJB1 missense mutations have shown transient central nervous system (CNS) symptoms with abnormal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Herein we report the first case with a novel GJB1 frameshift mutation that associates with a transient CNS symptom. The patient noticed high-arched feet and limited ankle dorsiflexion in early childhood; he transiently developed numbness and paresis of left face and arm, and dysphagia, with abnormal brain MRI. Although the CNS symptoms recovered within several hours without treatment, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy ameliorated progressing symptoms such as those of toe extensor muscles. His mother had been diagnosed with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), and repetitive IVIg treatments had relieved the symptoms. Therefore, inflammation might be involved in the pathophysiology of CMT1X with the GJB1 mutation, while molecular analysis revealed that the mutant GJB1 was more rapidly degraded by the proteasome pathway known as endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation.
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