Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 4, 2026
06:19
Induction and Diverse Assessment Indicators of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Published on: September 9, 2022
Human adjuvant disease: presentation as a multiple sclerosis-like syndrome
1CompreCare Clinics, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Southern Medical Journal
|February 1, 1996
Summary
Silicone breast implants may trigger a new systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease with central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Symptoms include neurological issues, joint pain, and fatigue, resembling multiple sclerosis.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Immunology
- Plastic Surgery
Background:
- Systemic disease with central nervous system (CNS) involvement was studied in women with a history of silicone breast implants or injections.
- The mean age of patients was 39.2 years, with a median latency period of 5.71 years between surgery and symptom onset.
Observation:
- Twenty-six women presented with disseminated CNS lesions and peripheral neuropathy.
- Common symptoms included myalgia, joint stiffness, arthralgia, sicca complex, headache, and skin rash.
- Abnormal MRI scans, oligoclonal bands in spinal fluid, delayed visual evoked responses, and autoantibodies were frequently observed.
Findings:
- Sural nerve biopsies revealed loss of myelinated fibers in all tested patients.
- Seventy-one percent of patients who underwent implant removal had grossly ruptured implants.
- The study identified a potential new syndrome triggered by foreign materials, presenting as a systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease with CNS involvement.
Implications:
- This syndrome shares similarities with multiple sclerosis, suggesting a potential link between silicone materials and autoimmune neurological conditions.
- Further research is warranted to understand the pathogenesis and long-term effects of this silicone-associated inflammatory disease.
- Consideration of implant integrity and material-related autoimmune responses may be important in diagnosing and managing patients with unexplained systemic and neurological symptoms.
More Related Videos
05:44A Rapid, Simple, and Standardized Homogenization Method to Prepare Antigen/Adjuvant Emulsions for Inducing Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Published on: December 9, 2022
05:44Modeling Multiple Sclerosis in the Two Sexes: MOG35-55-Induced Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Published on: October 13, 2023
Related Concept Videos
01:20Myasthenia Gravis: Overview and Treatment
Myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular transmission disorder characterized by weakness and increased fatigability of skeletal muscles. It is an autoimmune disease affecting approximately one in 2000 people, where antibodies against the α1 subunit of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are produced.
These antibodies interfere with the function of the nicotinic receptors in three ways: by binding to the receptor and disrupting acetylcholine binding; by causing cross-linking of receptors which leads...
These antibodies interfere with the function of the nicotinic receptors in three ways: by binding to the receptor and disrupting acetylcholine binding; by causing cross-linking of receptors which leads...
01:26Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma caused by direct viral invasion or immune-mediated mechanisms triggered by infections or tumors. Both processes lead to neuronal injury, disrupted neurotransmission, and diverse neurological symptoms, often with overlapping clinical and pathological features.Autoimmune EncephalitisIn autoimmune encephalitis, antibodies target neuronal antigens on cell surfaces, synapses, or within neurons. A key example is anti-NMDAR encephalitis, which can...
01:19Multiple Sclerosis l: Introduction
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that affects the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. It is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder and a leading cause of neurological disability in young adults.EpidemiologyMS commonly begins between 20 and 40 years of age and is twice as common in women. Its exact cause remains unclear, but genetic susceptibility contributes, with higher risk in first-degree relatives and identical twins. A greater...
01:21Huntington Disease l: Introduction
Huntington disease or HD is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disorder inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern.PathophysiologyIt is caused by expansion of the CAG trinucleotide repeat in the HTT gene on chromosome 4 (4p16.3), producing an abnormal huntingtin protein with an expanded polyglutamine tract. This misfolded protein disrupts cellular function, leading to neuronal death. Normal alleles have ≤26 repeats, 27–35 are intermediate (risk of expansion), 36–39 show reduced penetrance,...
01:22Myasthenia Gravis ll: Pathophysiology
The disease process of myasthenia gravis begins at the neuromuscular junction, where antibodies attack key proteins needed for muscle activation. This immune reaction weakens signal transmission, leading to the characteristic muscle fatigue and weakness that define the condition.Immune-Mediated DamageIn most individuals, antibodies target acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) on the postsynaptic membrane of muscle cells. By blocking acetylcholine binding, these antibodies prevent the nerve signal...
01:19Hypersensitivity Reactions: Immune-Complex Reactions
Type III hypersensitivity reactions occur when antigen–antibody complexes form and activate the complement system. Normally, these complexes help the clearance of antigens by phagocytes and red blood cells. However, when large numbers of immune complexes are present, they can deposit in tissues—particularly in the walls of blood vessels—leading to inflammation and tissue injury. These deposits trigger complement activation and neutrophil recruitment, resulting in serum sickness, a systemic...