[Lability of the temperature analyzer in neurologic clinical practice]

With the aid of thermopulsation the authors determined the maximal frequencies of separately percepted thermal stimula in the different areas of the skin surface (lability of the thermal analyzer). Such studies were performed in normals and in patients with organic brain and spinal lesions. It was established that in pathological conditions changes of lability go far beyond the limits of corresponding morphological changes and demonstrate distributed neurodynamical shifts. These data are considered from the standpoint of extralemniscal disorders of general sensitivity.

""Non-communicating'' syringomyelia: a non-existent entity

Encroachment by man's overlarge forebrain is responsible for the anatomic substrate of syringomyelia, i.e. a hindbrain hernia developing in fetal life with persisting hydromyelia. Communication between the syrinx and 4th ventricle is readily disclosed at operation, but because of postmortem shrinkage, almost never at autopsy. Syringomyelia developing in 16 of 864 post-traumatic paraplegics has been classified non-communicating. However, the syrinx, its fluid, and the ultimate clinical picture are the same as in the non-traumatic, and surgical exposure has disclosed the communication. The symptoms develop because the traumatic subarachnoid block exaggerates the causative intracranial fluid pulse waves by eliminating the dampling effect of the yielding dural sac below. A non-traumatic spinal block also may result in syringomyelia.

Diagnostic possibilities for the nuchal evoked potential

As a response to stimulation of the arm nerves an evoked potential can be recorded in the posterior neck region in man. This nuchal evoked potential (NEP) was recorded in three selected patients with A) cervical rib, B) syringomyelia, and C) prolapse of cervical intervertebral disc. Patients A and C had low-amplitudic NEPs with increased latencies when the affected side was stimulated and "normal" NEPs when the unaffected side was stimulated. Patient B had grossly abnormal, polyphasic NEPs (regardless of the side stimulated) but the simultaneously recorded somatosensory evoked potential was "normal". No systematic differences in the parameters of the NEP due to different recording locations on the neck could be observed.

Syringomyelia associated with postmeningitic spinal arachnoiditis. Filling of the syrinx through a communication with the subarachnoid space

A patient is described who became paraplegic because of postmeningitic spinal arachnoiditis. Twelve years later, upper limb signs appeared. Syringomyelia of an unusal communicating type was demonstrated by air myelography: Air, introduced by lumbar route, filled syrinx up to the level of the first cervical vertebra, through a communication with the subarachnoid space at the thoracic level.

[Hansen's neuritis in the form of pseudysyringomyelia. Clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic consideration a propos of 3 cases]

Three cases of neuropathic leprosy (one Moroccan, two non-colonial immigrants) enable attention to be drawn to two aspects of theproblem of Hansen's neuritis: 1) such cases should no longer be considered exceptional, infection occuring in countries where leprosy is endemic but the disease developing years later in any country; 2) among the various neurological aspects of neuritis due to Hansen's bacillus, great stress is laid on sensory disorders of the syringomyelic type, with thermalgesic dissociation; although these symptoms have been considered typical (our three cases are an illustration of this), they seem to occur fairly rarely and are the cause of difficulties in diagnosis as it is the last thing one would think of. Treatment of these neural forms is not encouraging, in spite of a therapeutic arsenal which in theory is considered effective.

Familial syringomyelia

Four cases of syringomyelia in two separate families are reported.

Syringomyelia as a manifestation of defective fourth ventricular drainage

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