Abstract
To study the clinical picture of lathyrism in Unnao, India and compare it with that reported from other endemic areas, 41 patients from Unnao were studied. Their mean age was 42.9 years (range 22-85) and the mean duration of the illness was 17.1 years (range 2-30). They had been regularly consuming Lathyrus Sativus (LS). The patients complained of walking difficulty due to weakness and leg stiffness (32 each), and of frequency of micturition (4). Gait abnormalities included spastic gait (24), toe walking (18) and the necessary use of walking sticks (13). Weakness was mild to moderate, and was less prominent than was spasticity. In 8 patients the physical signs were asymmetrical. Peripheral neuropathy was present in only one patient, but muscle atrophy and widespread fasiculations were not found. A higher frequency of peripheral neuropathy and lower motor neuron involvement has been reported from Bangladesh and Israel. Severe spasticity in the absence of prominent weakness in lathyrism may be due to the involvement of certain specific groups of corticospinal fibres.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Ludolph A C, Hugon J, Dwivedi M P, Shaumburg H H, Spancer P S (1987) Studies on the etiology and pathogenesis of motor neuron disease. Brain 110: 149–165.
Kaul A K, Islam M Q (1982) Khesari (Lathyrus Sativus) cultivation in Bangladesh and lathyrism. Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, Dhaka: 1–11.
Gopalan C, Dwivedi M P, Singh S P (1983) Lathyrism problem—current status and new dimensions. Scientific Report No 2, Nutrition Foundation of India, New Delhi.
Govil K K, Gupta B M, Chakravarty N L, Bhatnagar D P, Pant K G (1959) Field investigation of lathyrism in Uttar Pradesh. 1959 J Ind Med Assoc 33: 499–506.
Prasad L S, Sharan R K (1969) Lathyrism. In: P J Vinken, G W Bruyn, editors. Handbook of Neurology. Vol 36. North Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam: 505–515.
Dwivedi M P, Prasad B G (1964) An epidemiological study of lathyrism in the district of Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. J Ind Med Res 52: 81–114.
Hugon J, Ludolph A C, Gimenez-Roldon S, Haq A, Spencer P S (1990) Electrophysiological evaluation of human lathyrism. Results in Bangladesh and Spain. In: F Clifford, Forbes H Norris, editors. ALS New advances in Taxicology and Epidemiology. Smith Gordan, London: 49–56.
Cohn D F, Streifler M (1981) Human lathyrism: a followup study of 200 patients. Part 1: Clinical investigations. Archives Suisses de Neurologic Neurocehirugic et de Psychiatrie 128: 151–156.
Industrial Toxiology Research Centre (1976) Outbreak of paralysis in some villages of Unnao district Uttar Pradesh - a preliminary epidemiological study 342/B. Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, Lucknow.
Penn R D, Savoy S M, Corcos D, Latsh M, Gottlieb G, Parke B et al (1983) Intrathecal beclofen for severe spinal spasticity. N Engl J Med 320: 1517–1521.
Ganpathy K T, Dwivedi M P (1961) Studies on clinical epidemiology of lathyrism Rewa. Indian Council of Medical Research, Gandhi Memorial Hospital. Lathyrism Enquiry Field Unit P29.
Sachdev S, Sachdev J C, Devinder P (1969) Morphological study in a case of lathyrism. 1969: J Ind Med Assoc 52: 320–322.
Striefler M, Cohn D F, Hirano A, Schujman E (1976) The central nervous system in a case of neurolathyrism. Neurology 27: 1176–1178.
Takahashi K (1965) Slow and fast group of pyramidal cells and their respective membrane properties. Neurophysiol 28: 908–924.
Mertens H G (1947) Zur Klinik des Lathyrismus. Nervenarzt 18: 493–499.
Mannan M A (1985) Lathyrism. Bangladesh J Neurosci 18: 5–8.
Clane D B, McGeer E, Eisen A, Spencer P (1986) Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and motoneuron disease: Ageing and environment. Lancet 11: 1067–1070.
Kessler A (1947) Lathyrismus. Montatsschirft fur Pyrchiatrie und Neurologie 113: 345–375.
Rao S L N, Sarma P S, Mani K S, Rao T R R, Sriramachari S (1967) Experimental neurolathyrism in monkeys. Nature 214: 610–611.
Chase R A, Pearson S, Nunn P B, Lantos P L (1985) Comparative toxicities of α and ß-N-oxalyl-α-a, ß-diaminopropionic acids to rat spinal cord. Neurosci Lett 55: 89–94.
Spencer P S, Schanmberg H H (1983) Lathyrism: a neurotoxic disease. Neurobehav Toxicol Teratol 5: 625–629.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Misra, U., Sharma, V. & Singh, V. Clinical aspects of neurolathyrism in Unnao, India. Spinal Cord 31, 249–254 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1993.44
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1993.44