Abdominal Manifestations of Neurologic Disorders

Abstract

A variety of disorders-including infectious, inflammatory, hereditary, and metabolic diseases-may affect both the brain and abdominal cavity, and the findings in one region may help establish the diagnosis or limit the differential diagnosis. Establishing an accurate early diagnosis enables clinicians to adequately manage these unusual diseases and potentially avert life-threatening complications. For example, an early diagnosis of Gardner syndrome enables annual sigmoid- or colonoscopy and ultrasonography. In many conditions, abdominal manifestations precede neurologic manifestations and may have prognostic significance. Patients with celiac disease more often present with abdominal manifestations such as duodenitis, slow transit time, reversal of the jejunal-ileal fold pattern, and transient small bowel intussusception than with intracranial manifestations. In other conditions, the neurologic manifestations may be the same as the presenting symptoms. For example, patients with Gardner syndrome may initially present with multiple mandibular or sinonasal osteomas. In addition, sarcoidosis may manifest with multifocal enhancing dural masses. Abdominal and neurologic manifestations may even occur simultaneously, as in several of the phakomatoses such as neurofibromatosis type 1, tuberous sclerosis complex, and von Hippel-Lindau syndrome. Ultimately, familiarity with the appearances of these conditions allows radiologists to pinpoint a diagnosis, even when imaging findings in either location are nonspecific.

Peripheral Neuronal Activation Shapes the Microbiome and Alters Gut Physiology

“…Modern systems neuroscience is primarily and appropriately focused on studying structures and functions of cells within the brain, a complexity that is being interrogated through the advent of novel tools that go beyond characterization and are able to activate and inhibit specific neuronal functions with precision. Curiously, many disorders of the brain are associated with gastrointestinal symptoms (Bhavsar et al, 2013;Cersosimo et al, 2013;Del Giudice et al, 1999;Pfeiffer, 2003;Valicenti-McDermott et al, 2008). While mechanisms linking the gut and the brain, and their consequences to health, are an active area of study, the impact of neuronal activation within the ENS on organs and tissues throughout the body has largely been unexplored.…”

“…Brain research has outpaced exploration of other neuronal systems in the body, and led to the creation of powerful tools to study neuronal architecture and function. Curiously, many disorders of the brain are associated with gastrointestinal symptoms (Bhavsar et al, 2013;Cersosimo et al, 2013;Del Giudice et al, 1999;Pfeiffer, 2003;Valicenti-McDermott et al, 2008). While mechanisms linking the gut and the brain, and their consequences to health, are an active area of study, the impact of neuronal activation within the ENS has largely been unexplored.…”

Beneath the Surface: Massive Retroperitoneal Liposarcoma Masquerading as Meralgia Paresthetica

“…20 Given that numerous neurologic disorders may present with abdominal pathology, we feel a thorough abdominal examination should be considered part of the full neurologic examination, especially in cases presenting with focal neurologic findings involving the lower extremities. 21…”

Spectrum of gastrointestinal lesions of neurofibromatosis type 1: a pictorial review

“…1 ) [ 1 , 7 ]. Abdominopelvic involvement in NF1 is primarily extraperitoneal, mostly detected in the abdomino-pelvic wall and lumbosacral plexus [ 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 ].

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“…The severity of this disorder ranges from benign (75%) to very aggressive conditions (25%) [ 7 ]. The localised and plexiform neurofibromas of the paraspinal and sacral region are the most common abdominal manifestations in NF1 [ 7 , 9 ].…”