title: Early onset of multiple sclerosis with autopsy confirmation.
abstract: A female had her first generalized epileptic seizure at age 11 yrs. Apart from intermittent seizures she remained well until 15 yrs of age when she developed double vision, unsteadiness and bilateral plantar responses which resolved spontaneously. Brain MRI scan at this stage revealed changes typical of multiple sclerosis. She died at 17 yrs of age from asthma and epilepsy. Autopsy confirmed the presence of multiple sclerosis and showed the disease to be very active. We consider it likely that multiple sclerosis was present at the age of 11 yrs when she had her first epileptic seizure. This case of multiple sclerosis is presented because of the rarity of the early age of onset, unusual presentation with epilepsy, marked activity of disease and early death. Also it is uncommon to have autopsy confirmation of such disease.
authors.affiliation: Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology, South Melbourne.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Opeskin
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Byrne
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology*