[Marchiafava-Bignami disease (Case-report)].

Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD) is caused by damage of the corpus callosum. There are acute, subacute and chronic forms, it occurs most frequently among alcoholic patients. A variety of neurological symptoms, epileptic seizures, and coma may be associated with the disease, but the chronic form may start with acute confusion and dementia, interhemispherial disconnection syndrome or with slow progressive changes in behavior. In 2001, only 250 cases were reported, of which 200 died, 30 cases contributed to severe dementia or bed rest, and favorable outcome occured in only 20 cases. The MBD diagnosis of our patient was based on the anamnesis and cranial MRI and the treatment consisted of administration of B vitamin complex, folic acid, memantine, piracetam and haloperidol. Reviewing the international literature currently recommended therapeutic options are thiamin and folic acid. According to some authors the immediate administration of thiamine affects the outcome of the disease, and there are case reports of beneficial effects of amantadine and steroids.