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Adult "failure-to-thrive" syndrome
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
|June 1, 1976
Summary
Adults with central nervous system diseases can develop a failure-to-thrive syndrome with weight loss and temperature instability. This unexpected condition, marked by sudden death, may stem from widespread brain lesions, not just hypothalamic damage.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pathophysiology
Background:
- The study explores an analogy between childhood failure-to-thrive and a neurological syndrome in adults.
- This syndrome presents with a specific constellation of symptoms in adult patients.
Observation:
- Adults with central nervous system diseases may exhibit intractable weight loss.
- Patients can experience significant temperature variations and develop decubitus ulcerations.
- Decreased consciousness levels and unexpected sudden death are characteristic features.
Findings:
- The syndrome is observed in cases of cerebral thrombosis, traumatic encephalopathy, degenerative disorders, and encephalitis.
- Pathophysiology is hypothesized to involve aggregated lesions rather than a singular hypothalamic deficit.
Implications:
- This research highlights a distinct clinical presentation in adult neurology.
- Understanding the pathophysiology may guide future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for these complex cases.