Subacute combined degeneration due to copper deficiency.

Abstract

There is growing clinical evidence supporting a connection between copper deficiency and subacute combined degeneration. While nearly half of patients with copper deficiency myelopathy exhibit MRI abnormalities, signal changes are often ill-defined in distribution. We report a patient with sensory ataxia and spastic paraplegia from copper deficiency whose MRI demonstrates abnormal signal restricted to the dorsal and lateral columns, providing clear radiological support of an association between hypocupremia and combined system degeneration.

• Authors: Joseph M Ferrara, Mark B Skeen, Nancy J Edwards, Linda Gray, E Wayne Massey
• Journal: Journal of neuroimaging : official journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging (J Neuroimaging) Vol. 17 Issue 4 Pg. 375-7 (Oct 2007) ISSN: 1051-2284 [Print] United States
• PMID: 17894634 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Copper

Topics

• Aged
• Copper (deficiency, therapeutic use)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Female
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Neurodegenerative Diseases (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Spinal Cord Diseases (diagnosis, drug therapy)