Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 14, 2025
10:45
Histological Analyses of Acute Alcoholic Liver Injury in Zebrafish
Published on: May 25, 2017
14.8K
Late Functional and Morphological Findings after Methylalcohol Poisoning
Summary
Methanol poisoning caused asymmetric damage to the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and brain, with significant changes in blood vessel density (VD) and reduced visual evoked potentials (VEPs). These findings highlight direct toxic effects and subsequent repair processes.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neurology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Methanol poisoning can lead to severe visual and neurological deficits.
- Long-term sequelae of methanol toxicity are not fully understood, particularly regarding retinal and cerebral changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term morphological and functional consequences of methanol poisoning in a patient.
- To correlate ocular and brain imaging findings with electrophysiological tests.
Main Methods:
- Neurological visual field testing, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell complex (GCC), and peripapillary vessel density (VD) imaging.
- Pattern electroretinography (PERG) and pattern visual evoked potential (PVEP) examinations.
- Functional brain MRI.
Main Results:
- Significant asymmetric damage to RNFL and decreased peripapillary vessel density (VD) were observed.
- PERG indicated retinal ganglion cell axon damage, and VEPs were markedly reduced.
- Functional MRI revealed bilateral decreased voxel activity, with greater reduction in the left hemisphere, and post-malatic changes in the putamen.
Conclusions:
- Methanol poisoning resulted in asymmetric damage to RNFL and cerebral cortical centers.
- Pathological changes in VD may contribute to optic nerve excavation and retinal ganglion cell loss.
- Findings suggest direct neurotoxic and vascular damage from methanol metabolites, with subsequent reparative processes.
