Francisco J Rogel-Ortiz | PubMed Health

PubMedDate not supplied

[Unusual causes of chronic meningitis, report of 5 cases].

Chronic meningitis is a frequent disease; it constitutes a real diagnostic challenge because of different etiologic possibilities, the most important being infectious, chemical, inflammatory, tumoral, autoimmune and of unknown origin. Chronic meningitis, as a rule, needs the use of a wide and expensive battery of studies, but frequently despite all this, it is not possible to make a diagnosis. Biopsies of meninges and brain play a key role in the study of this type of patients. We present five cases of chronic meningitis; some important considerations are made in relation to diagnosis and therapeutic management.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Autism].

Autism is a static, neuro-developmental disorder, that is life-long and comprises a wide range of behavioral disorders. It has a prevalence of 1-2 per 1,000 with a broad range of severity. Multiple causes have been put forward and genetics plays the major role. According to DSM-IV the main clinical manifestations include impaired social skills, language and non-verbal communication and changes in range of interests and activities. Cognitive deficits are frequent but not universal. Perseveration, affective flatness and lack of insight into other people's thinking and feelings is conspicuous. The neurobiological basis of autism is unknown, but histopathological and biochemical findings suggest a diffuse disorder of neuronal development, most severe in the fronto-temporal cortex, some limbic structures and in the cerebellum. At a biochemical level, abnormalities in serotonin and other neurotransmitters have been reported.

Autistic Disorder↗