Central Pontine and Extrapontine Myelinolysis After Alcohol Withdrawal

• Published in: Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford) Vol. 43; no. 6; pp. 647 - 649
• Main Authors: Yoon, Bora, Shim, Yong-Soo, Chung, Sung-Woo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.11.2008; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Alcoholism; Alcoholism - complications; Alcoholism - diagnosis; Alcoholism - psychology; Alcoholism and acute alcohol poisoning; Biological and medical sciences; Dysarthria; Dysphagia; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Myelinolysis; Myelinolysis, Central Pontine - diagnosis; Myelinolysis, Central Pontine - etiology; Myelinolysis, Central Pontine - psychology; Psychiatric symptoms; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome - complications; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome - diagnosis; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome - psychology; Toxicology; Disintoxication; Alcoholic beverage; Poison withdrawal; Ethanol
• ISSN: 0735-0414; 1464-3502
• DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agn050

Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) and extrapontine myelinolysis (EPM) are well-recognized syndromes that are related to various conditions such as rapid correction of hyponatremia and chronic alcoholism. We report a very case of a patient with dysarthria, dysphagia and psychiatric symptoms including abnormal behavior starting after alcohol withdrawal, with radiological evidence of CPM and EPM. There was little improvement in the dysarthria or psychiatric symptoms in the first month.