title: Vegetarian diet and excessive tea consumption: a dangerous association?
abstract: Rare metabolic diseases may sometimes arise acutely and endanger human life if not immediately recognized and treated. Marchiafava Bignami disease is an uncommon neurologic disorder described in alcohol abusers and characterized by an acute severe damage of brain white matter. Even more rarely, it has been reported in non-alcohol addicted patients, but never in vegetarian people. This is a case report of a young vegetarian woman, accustomed to drink high amounts of tea, who, three weeks after her first natural childbirth, developed serious motor and cognitive disturbances. A timely brain magnetic resonance (MR) allowed us to identify Marchiafava Bignami disease and she healed few hours after the administration of parenteral steroids and vitamins. We advise to suspect Marchiafava Bignami Disease in all patients presenting with non-obvious acute generalized motor and cognitive disturbances, also if non alcoholics, and to collect the nutritional habits in all patients with suspected symptoms. In these cases a timely brain MRI is warranted, since brain imaging is typical and patients may recover after a prompt treatment.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Neurology, Ospedale Bolognini, Seriate, BG, Italy. fabrizio.fiacco@asst-bergamoest.it.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5395-7824
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fiacco
authors.affiliation: Unit of Neurology, Ospedale Bolognini, Seriate, BG, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barbato
authors.affiliation: Unit of Neuroradiology, Ospedale Bolognini, Seriate, BG, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Giovanna
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pecoraro
authors.affiliation: Unit of Neurology, Ospedale Bolognini, Seriate, BG, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maggio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014676:Diet, Vegetarian / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D054319:Marchiafava-Bignami Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013662:Tea / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D013662:Tea; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D008775:Methylprednisolone
keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging; Marchiafava-Bignami disease; Tea consumption; Vegetarian diet