Callosal Disconnection Syndrome Associated with Relapsing Polychondritis

• Published in: Internal Medicine Vol. 55; no. 9; pp. 1191 - 1193
• Main Authors: Baba, Toru, Kanno, Shigenori, Shijo, Tomomi, Nishio, Yoshiyuki, Iizuka, Osamu, Kamimura, Naoto, Ishii, Tomonori, Mori, Etsuro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine 01.01.2016
• Subjects: Aged; callosal dysconnection syndrome; Corpus Callosum - pathology; diagonistic dyspraxia; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Meningoencephalitis - complications; Meningoencephalitis - drug therapy; Polychondritis, Relapsing - complications; Polychondritis, Relapsing - drug therapy; relapsing polychondritis; Syndrome
• ISSN: 0918-2918; 1349-7235
• DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.55.5345

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare inflammatory disorder of the cartilagenous structures, and it sometimes involves the central nervous system. Encephalitis associated with RP causes a wide variety of symptoms according to the affected sites. We herein report the first case of 72-year-old right-handed man who developed acute meningoencephalitis associated with RP involving the corpus callous. After immunosuppressive therapy, his symptoms dramatically improved, but difficulty in performing bimanual movements with occasional diagonistic dyspraxia in his right hand remained. Because callosal signs are easily missed, especially in acute settings, it would be useful to know that RP can sometimes cause callosal disconnection syndrome.