FLARE-UPS IN MARCHIAFAVA-BIGNAMI DISEASE

Marchiafava-Bignami disease is a complication of chronic ethanol intox ication. The clinical course may be acute, rapidly leading to death, o r marked by a progressive dementia. A form with favorable outcome is a lso described. During the evolution of chronic forms, acute worsening are possible, with subsequent partial recovery. We report a clinico - radiological case, where a first episode was followed by a good outcom e. After a second episode, 3 years later, the patient developped a dem entia with predominant frontal lobe signs. This case suggests that, ev en after a favorable outcome, a long-term poor prognosis cannot be rul ed out.