ABSTRACT
We report a 32-year-old woman who developed an altered consciousness and quadriparesis three days after ingesting an ergot alkaloid derivative to suppress lactation. Brain MRI showed extensive cerebral infarction in the posterior circulation territory with multifocal vasoconstriction in the intracranial vessels including both the middle cerebral arteries. Extensive studies for stroke etiology are negative. Follow-up MRA and serial TCD studies revealed that reVersible vasospasm was the mechanism. This case is additional evidence that ergot derivatives may lead to postpartum cerebral angiopathy.
Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Brain , Cerebral Infarction , Consciousness , Follow-Up Studies , Lactation , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Middle Cerebral Artery , Postpartum Period , Quadriplegia , Stroke , Vasoconstriction , Vasospasm, IntracranialABSTRACT
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 8 (SCA8), originally described in a family characterized by pure cerebellar ataxia, is caused by the expansion of combined CTA/CTG repeats on chromosome 13q21. We experienced a 26-year-old man who presented with a 10-years history of slowly progressive gait ataxia, dysarthria and blepharospasm. We performed genetic studies for SCA1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8, and detected CTA/CTG repeat expansion in the SCA8 gene. We now report the first Korean familial case of SCA8 confirmed by genetic study.