Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine ClinicoPathological Conference

































- Slides: 33

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Clinico-Pathological Conference Benjamin M. Greenberg, M. D. , M. H. S. Assistant Professor Department of Neurology Johns Hopkins School of Medicine


Differential Diagnosis at This Point Cortex Subcortex Cerebellum Brainstem Spinal Cord Nerve Root Plexus Nerve Neuromuscular Junction Muscle

Differential Diagnosis at This Point Cortex Subcortex Cerebellum Brainstem Spinal Cord Nerve Root Plexus Nerve Neuromuscular Junction Muscle

Differential Diagnosis at This Point White Matter Cortex Subcortex Cerebellum Deep Gray Brainstem Spinal Cord Nerve Root Plexus Nerve Neuromuscular Junction Muscle

Differential Diagnosis at This Point Cortex Subcortex Cerebellum Brainstem Spinal Cord Nerve Root Plexus Nerve Neuromuscular Junction Muscle

Differential Diagnosis at This Point Cortex Subcortex Cerebellum Brainstem Spinal Cord Nerve Root Plexus Nerve Neuromuscular Junction Muscle

Differential Diagnosis at This Point Cortex Subcortex Cerebellum Brainstem Spinal Cord Nerve Root Plexus Nerve Neuromuscular Junction Muscle

Differential Diagnosis at This Point Cortex Subcortex Cerebellum Brainstem Spinal Cord Nerve Root Plexus Nerve Neuromuscular Junction Muscle

Differential Diagnosis at This Point Cortex Subcortex Cerebellum Brainstem Spinal Cord Nerve Root Plexus Nerve Neuromuscular Junction Muscle

Differential Diagnosis at This Point Cortex Subcortex Cerebellum Brainstem Spinal Cord Nerve Root Plexus Nerve Neuromuscular Junction Muscle

Differential Diagnosis at This Point Cortex Subcortex Cerebellum Brainstem Spinal Cord Nerve Root Plexus Nerve Neuromuscular Junction Muscle

Differential Diagnosis at This Point Cortex Subcortex Cerebellum Brainstem Spinal Cord Nerve Root Plexus Nerve Neuromuscular Junction Muscle


Time course is important for defining pathologic process, not localization.

Double vision = brainstem or cranial nerve

Personality changes = Frontal > Temporal Lobe

Parkinsonism = substantia nigra (deep gray)

? opsoclonus

Associated symptoms are important for defining the pathology, not localization

Oculomotor Midbrain Limbic Frontal Lobe Extrapyramidal Basal Ganglia



Subacute Central Nervous System Degeneration with Parkinsonism, Eye Movement Abnormalities and Frontal Love Dysfunction “Degenerative” – Parkinson’s Disease – Progressive Supranuclear Palsy – Corticobasal Degeneration – Diffuse lewy body disease Toxic/Metabolic – – – Wilson’s Manganeese MPTP Infectious – Whipple’s – Prion Diseases – Flaviviruses Mitochondrial Disorders Nutritional – Deficiencies B 12 Thiamine Medications/Drugs – Dopamine Antagonists Immune Mediatied – Paraneoplastic – ADEM – Multiple Sclerosis Neoplastic – – – CNS lymphoma Intravascular lymphoma Glioma





Subacute Central Nervous System Degeneration with Parkinsonism, Eye Movement Abnormalities and Frontal Love Dysfunction “Degenerative” – Parkinson’s Disease – Progressive Supranuclear Palsy – Corticobasal Degeneration – Diffuse lewy body disease Toxic/Metabolic – – – Wilson’s Manganeese MPTP Infectious – Whipple’s – Prion Diseases – Flaviviruses Mitochondrial Disorders Nutritional – Deficiencies B 12 Thiamine Medications/Drugs – Dopamine Antagonists Immune Mediatied – Paraneoplastic – ADEM – Multiple Sclerosis Neoplastic – – – CNS lymphoma Intravascular lymphoma Glioma

Whipple’s Disease First described in 1907 by George Hoyt Whipple, a JHH pathologist – He developed recurring arthropathy, weight loss, and steatorrhoea, became worse, and died. At necropsy the intestine and mesenteric lymph glands were infiltrated by mononuclear cells and deposits of fat. Weakly gram positive rod, Actinomycetes Neurologically – – Cognitive decline Vertical Gaze difficulty Oculomasticatory myorhythmia Movement disorders

Paraneoplastic Subacute presentations Opsoclonus – – – small cell lung cancer Neuroblastoma Gynecologic malignancies Limbic Encephalitis – – – small cell lung cancer (anti-Hu) Germ cell tumors can have brainstem encephalitis. Can precede malignancy by years


Paraneoplastic Syndrome (Whipple’s is a close second)