Abstract
We describe 2 normotensive sisters presenting slowly progressive dementia associated with acute or subacute focal neurological symptoms, unilateral or bilateral motor signs, and dysarthria. Their father, who died in the seventh decade, had a similar clinical picture. Computerized axial tomography (CT) scan of the head showed symmetrical hypodensities in the periventricular white matter and mild to moderate hydrocephalus. In these patients a diagnosis of Binswanger's disease was based on the clinical features supported by white matter changes on CT scan. Our study suggests that genetic factors may play a role in the etiology of Binswanger's disease.
Sommario
Descriviamo due giovani sorelle normotese affette da demenza lentamente progressiva associata a sintomi neurologici focali ad insorgenza sia acuta che subacuta. Un quadro clinico simile era presente nel padre deceduto all'età di 70 anni.
La TAC cranica mostrava nelle due pazienti ipodensità simmetriche della sostanza bianca perventricolare con idrocefalo moderato.
In questi pazienti una diagnosi di malattia di Binswanger fu fatta in base al quadro clinico ed alle lesioni riscontrate alla TAC. Il nostro studio dimostra la possibilità che fattori genetici siano responsabili di alcune forme di malattia di Binswanger soprattutto in pazienti normotesi, giovani e senza fattori di rischio per malattie cerebrovascolari.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Altland, K., Beker P., Barzoff A.:Paraffin oil protected high resolution hybrid isoelectric focusing for the demonstration of substitutions of neutral aminoacids in denaturated proteins: the case of four human transthyretin (prealbumin) variants associated with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy. Electrophoresis 8:293–297, 1987
Babikian V., Ropper A.H.:Binswanger's disease: a review. Stroke 18:2–12, 1987
Biemond A.:On Binswanger's subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy and the possibility of its clinical recognition. Psychiat Neurol Neurosurg 73:413–417, 1970
Binswanger A.: Die abgrenzung der allgemeinen progressiven paralys. Ber Klin Wochenschr 31:1103–1105, 1137–1139, 1180–1186, 1894.
Bogucki A., Pajerz W., Szymanska R., Staniaszczyk R.:Cerebral amyloid angiopathy with attenuation of the white matter on CT scans: subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy (Binswanger) in a normotensive patient. J Neurol 235:435–437, 1988.
Caplan L.R., Schoene W.C.:Clinical features of subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy (Binswanger disease). Neurology 28:1206–1215, 1978.
Cohen D.H., Feiner H. Jensson O. Frangione B. Amyloid fibril in hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis (HCHWA) is related to the gastroentero-pancreatic neuroendocrine protein gamma trace. J Exp Med 158:623–628, 1983.
Cosgrove G.R., Leblanc R, Meagher-Villemure K., Ethier R.:Cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Neurology 35:625–631, 1985.
Friedland R.P., Koss E., Jagust W.J., Borcich J.:Familial subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy (SAE) in two families: studied with X-Ray CT, NMR, and PET. Neurology 36 (Suppl. 1): 102, 1986.
Goren, H., Steinberg, M.C., Farboody, G.M.:Familial oculoleptomeningeal amyloidosis. Brain 103:473–495, 1980.
Gray F., Dubas F., Rouillet E., Escourolle R.:Leukoencephalopathy in diffuse hemorrhagic cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Ann Neurol 18:54–59, 1985.
Griffiths R.A., Mortimer T.F., Oppenheimer D.R., Spalding J.M.K.:Congophilic angiopathy of the brain: a clinical and pathological report on two siblings. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiat 45:396–408, 1982.
Gudmundsson G., Hallgrimsson J., Jonasson T.A., Bjarnason O.:Hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis. Brain 95:387–404, 1972.
Junck L. Herrick M.K., Langston J.W.:CT scan in subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy. Neurology 30:791–792, 1980.
Kinkel W.R., Jacobs L., Polachini I., Bates V., Heffner R.R.:Subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy (Binswanger's encephalopathy). Arch Neurol 42:951–959, 1985.
Ladurner G., Sager W.D., Iliff L.D., Lechner H.:A correlation of clinical findings and CT in ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Eur Neurol 18:281–288, 1979.
Loizou L.A., Jefferson J.M., Thomas Smith W.T.:Subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy (Binswanger's type) and cortical infarcts in a young normotensive patient. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 45:409–417, 1982.
Loizou L.A., Kendall B.E., Marshall J.:Subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy: a clinical and radiological investigation. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 44:294–304, 1981.
Maeda, S., Nakayama, H., Isaka K., Aihara Y., Nemoto S.:Familial unusual encephalopathy of Binswanger's type without hypertension. Folia Psychiat Neurol Japonica 30:165–177, 1976.
Mascalchi M., Inzitari D., Dal Pozzo G., Taverini N., Abbamondi A.L.:Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and pathological correlations in a case of Binswanger's disease. Can J Neurol Sci 16:214–218, 1989.
Olszewski J.:Subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy. World Neurol 3:359–375, 1962.
Rosenberg G.A., Kornfeld, M., Stovring J., Bicknell J.M. Subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy (Binswanger): computerized tomography. Neurology 29:1102–1106, 1979.
Sonninen V., Savontaus M.L. Hereditary multi-infarct dementia. Eur Neurol 27:209–215, 1987.
Sourander P., Walider J.:Hereditary multi-infarct dementia. Acta Neuropath 39:247–254, 1977.
Uitti R.J. Donat J.R., Rozdilsky B., Schneider R.J., Koeppen A.H.:Familial oculoleptomeningeal amyloidosis-report of a new family with unusual features: Arch Neurol 45:1118–1122, 1988.
Zeumer H., Schonsky B., Sturm K.W.:Predominant white matter involvement in subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy (Binswanger's disease). J Comput Assist Tomogr 4:14–19, 1980.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Salvi, F., Michelucci, R., Plasmati, R. et al. Slowly progressive familial dementia with recurrent strokes and white matter hypodensities on CT scan. Ital J Neuro Sci 13, 135–140 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02226962
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02226962