EC Clinical and Medical Case Reports

Osmotic demyelination syndrome corresponds to demyelination of the central part of the protuberance and may localize elsewhere. The main risk factors are chronic alcoholism, undernutrition and too rapid correction of hyponatremia. Symptoms vary depending on the location of the lesions. The classic presentation is tetra-paresis, or even locked-in syndrome, with abnormal movements and psychiatric manifestations occurring a few days after correction of hyponatremia. The diagnosis is confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging, which shows a T1-weighted hypointense and a hyperintense on T2-weighted and FLAIR sequences. To date, there is no treatment available, and only symptomatic therapy can be proposed.

 Keywords: Osmotic Demyelination Syndromes; Central Pontine Myelinolysis; Extrapontine Myelinolysis; Chronic Ethylism

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