ANTERIOR HORN CELLS ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS

Introduction - The basis of focal muscle wasting in Japanese encephali tis (JE) has not been systemically studied. Material and methods - Twe lve patients with SE were subjected to clinical evaluation, nerve cond uction, electromyography (EMG), motor and somatosensory evoked potenti als and cranial CT or MRI scans. Spinal MRI was carried out in selecte d patients. The clinical and the neurophysiological examination were r epeated after 3 months. Recovery was defined as poor, partial and comp lete. Results - Seven of 12 patients with JE had varying degrees of lo wer motor neuron signs. Electromyography revealed prominent fibrillati on and neurogenic changes in the wasted muscles, which improved in the follow-up period in all patients. Motor evoked potentials on spinal s timulation revealed peripheral delay in 2 patients and small amplitude in 4 patients. Spinal MRI showed hyperintense signals on T-2 in the c ervical region which correlated with clinical signs. Two of these pati ents had complete, 3 partial and 2 poor recovery. The patients with mi ld involvement of spinal cord had better recovery compared to those wi th severe involvement. Conclusion - Varying degree of anterior horn ce ll involvement seems to be common in JE.