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Post-heatstroke parkinsonism and cerebellar dysfunction
N Biary1, M M Madkour, H Sharif
1Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery
|February 1, 1995
Summary
Heat stroke can cause severe neurological damage, including parkinsonism and paralysis. This case highlights persistent white matter changes and developing cerebellar atrophy after heat stroke.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Environmental Medicine
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Heat stroke is a severe hyperpyretic condition with high morbidity and mortality.
- Neurological complications of heat stroke can be diverse and sometimes irreversible.
Observation:
- A 45-year-old woman presented with parkinsonism, cerebellar dysfunction, aphasia, and flaccid paralysis following heat stroke.
- Initial MRI showed white matter and left striatal hyperintensities on T2-weighted images.
- Follow-up MRI revealed progressive cerebellar atrophy over two years.
Findings:
- Persistent white matter lesions in the cerebral hemispheres and striatum were noted.
- Cerebellar atrophy developed and worsened over a two-year follow-up period.
- The neurological deficits correlated with the observed neuroimaging changes.
Implications:
- This case underscores the potential for delayed and progressive neurological damage following severe heat exposure.
- Neuroimaging is crucial for monitoring the evolution of brain injury after heat stroke.
- Understanding these long-term sequelae is important for patient management and prognosis.