A case of paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis in autoptic occult primary malignancy
Pagenstecher, A.; Franz, M.; Volk, B.
Der Nervenarzt 65(8): 549-552
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0028-2804 PMID: 7969652 Document Number: 424024
We report a case of limbic encephalitis in a 71-year-old male who presented with amnesia, confusion and disorientation. The patient's history of long standing alcoholism suggested the diagnosis of Korsakow syndrome. Autopsy, however, revealed a regional lymph-node metastasis of a small-cell bronchial carcinoma. No primary malignoma could be detected. These findings indicate that in cases of limbic encephalitis without detectable primary malignoma a paraneoplastic syndrome cannot be excluded. This has to be taken into consideration when discussing the etiology of limbic encephalitis (paraneoplastic versus virus-induced).