[Ettore Marchiafava, A Roman Neurologist, and Marchiafava-Bignami Disease (MBD)]

This paper explores research on Marchiafava-Bignami Disease (MBD) by the Roman neurologist Ettore Marchiafava. It provides an overview of recent trends in MBD research, primarily focusing on the author's own work, and briefly highlights Marchiafava's role as a microbiologist and clinician, emphasizing his contributions as a notable Roman researcher. MBD is marked by symmetrical demyelinating lesions of the corpus callosum that occur in heavy alcohol consumers. Since 1898, diagnosis has been limited to postmortem findings. By 1985, 149 cases had been reported. Since the 1980s, however, the advent of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has enabled ante-mortem diagnosis. Clinical symptoms include astasia-abasia, Gegenhalten, cluttering dysarthria, and impaired consciousness during the acute phase, followed by interhemispheric disconnection symptoms in the chronic phase. Longitudinal X-ray CT and MRI studies have revealed findings suggestive of transient hemorrhage during the subacute phase, which have also been confirmed pathologically. However, the etiology of MBD remains incompletely understood. Ongoing research is needed to elucidate its pathogenesis, and the development of effective treatments is eagerly anticipated. Marchiafava was also a notable researcher of malaria, as well as a microbiologist and clinician with a broad perspective who loved Rome.