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Updated: Jul 18, 2025
06:44
Isolation of Brain-infiltrating Leukocytes
Published on: June 13, 2011
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Inhalational Heroin Use and Leukoencephalopathy: A Case Report
Brandon W Knopp1, Hannah Z Weiss2, Michele Retrouvey3
1Endocrinology, Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Raton, USA.
Cureus
|August 24, 2023
Summary
Heroin-induced leukoencephalopathy (HLE) is a rare condition causing severe brain damage. This case highlights a unique presentation in a young woman with lasting neurological deficits after heroin inhalation.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Toxicology
- Radiology
Background:
- Heroin-induced leukoencephalopathy (HLE) is a rare neurological condition resulting from toxic agents affecting cerebral white matter.
- It can manifest with acute or chronic outcomes, ranging from mild symptoms to severe deficits and death.
Observation:
- A 20-year-old woman with a history of bipolar disorder and opioid use presented with ataxia, involuntary movements, and altered mental status after inhaling heroin.
- Symptoms included agitation, tremors, speech difficulty, confusion, memory loss, and weakness.
Findings:
- MRI revealed diffuse cerebral atrophy, and EEG showed left hemisphere dysfunction and diffuse encephalopathy.
- Despite treatment with IV steroids, vitamins, and fluids, the patient did not improve and was discharged to hospice.
Implications:
- This case presents a unique instance of HLE in a young patient with severe neurological deficits after heroin inhalation, even after a period of abstinence.
- It emphasizes the need for increased clinical recognition of HLE in patients with a history of substance use and unexplained neurological symptoms.
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