title: Using Advanced Imaging Methods to Study Neurolathyrism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurolathyrism is a toxic nutritional disorder caused by consumption of the grass pea, Lathyrus sativus. The disease, which manifests as an acute or insidiously evolving spastic paraparesis, continues to occur throughout Africa and Asia. Research on this disease is limited, and to our knowledge no imaging studies of patients with neurolathyrism have been published.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To better localize the site of damage in neurolathyrism using advanced imaging methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three male patients, immigrants from Ethiopia, were included in the study. All had a history of arrested spastic paraparesis that had evolved before their emigration from Ethiopia, and a past history of exposure to grass pea without any other cause. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) included simple motor tasks to evaluate cortical motor areas. Anatomic scans included diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to evaluate the corticospinal tracts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all patients clear activation was found in motor regions, and the patients' activity pattern was qualitatively similar to that in control sublects. In one patient in whom clinical symptoms were asymmetric, an asymmetric activity pattern in Ml was identified. DTI analysis identified intact corticospinal tracts connecting the pons and the primary motor regions, similar to control subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Advanced neuroimaging clearly identified well-functioning motor regions and tracts in neurolathyrism patients, suggesting a spinal etiology.
authors.forename: Atira S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Bick
authors.forename: Zeev
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Meiner
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gotkine
authors.forename: Netta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Levin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D007842:Lathyrism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D027807:Lathyrus / Q000633:toxicity; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods; D011712:Pyramidal Tracts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology