Encephalon Condition in Chronic Alcohol Intoxication and the Role of Amoebic Invasion of this Organ in the Development of Ethanol Attraction in Men

Sergey V. Shormanov, PhD, ScD

The Yaroslavl Medical Academy;Yaroslavl, Russian Federation

*Corresponding author:  Prof. Sergey V. Shormanov. The Yaroslavl Medical Academy, Yaroslavl, Russian Federation. E-mail: S_V_Shormanov@rambler.ru

Published: December 25, 2013 

Abstract: 

This presentation reviews data from studies on the encephalon in 27 men ranging in age from 21 to 51 years, showing signs of chronic alcohol intoxication and who died from causes other than skull injury and 14 control subjects. The specimens were fixed in formalin or Karnua liquid, filled with paraffin and then examined, utilizing a variety of histological, histochemical and morphometric techniques. The data refers to the structural changes in the various tissue components of the brain (nervous, glia-cells, arteries, veins), as well as pertinent information concerning the presence of Protozoa in all the sections examined which according to their morphological signs and behavioral reactions indicate that amoeba had been present. The degree of cerebral tissue insemination by these parasites has been demonstrated. The condition of the membranes of these microorganisms, their cytoplasm, nucleus and nucleoli as well as the chromatoid corpuscles has been assessed and recorded. The ability of these microorganisms to split, migrate within the CNS limits, to trigger incitement and dystrophic changes and in the case of death – calcification or exulceration is shown. Further, the issue of species characteristics of amoeba occurring in the patients’ brains is discussed. The hypothesis of a possible link of amebic invasion with the development of alcohol dependence in humans is proposed.

Keywords: 
encephalon brain; chronic alcohol intoxication; amoebae role in the pathogenesis of alcoholism.
References: 
  1. Kaktyrskiĭ LV. Clinical morphology of alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Arkh Patol 2009; 71(5):21-23. [Article in Russian].
  2. Paukov VS,  Beliaeva NYu, Voronina TM. Alcoholism and alcohol disease. Ter Arkh 2001; 73(2):65-7.
  3.  Shormanov SV . Protozoan infection of the human brain. Fund Issled 2004; 1:118-9
  4. Shormanov SV. Structural alterations of the brain in patients with chronic alcoholism. Arkh Patol 2006; 68(1):19-22.
  5. Shormanov SV . The protozoan-infected brain in alcohol abusers. Med Parazitol (Mosk) 2010; 1:22-27.
  6. Daiter AB, Tumka AF. Parasitic diseases. Leningrad: Medicine; 1980.
  7. Oliva S, Jantz M, Tiernan R, Cook DL,  Judson MA. Successful treatment of widely disseminated acanthamoebiasis. South Med J 1999; 92(1):55-7. 
  8. Knight R. Parasitic Disease in Man.  Edinburg, London, Melbourne and New York, Longman Group Limited;1992.
  9. Demin SIu,  Skarlato SO, Prodeus TV. Chromosome-like bodies of dysentery amoeba Entamoeba histolytica. Tsitologiia 2001; 43(11): 1080-7
  10. Damulin IW . Alcoholic degeneration of cerebellum. Ross Med Zh 2005; 2:44-47
  11. Butt CG. Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. New Engl J 1966; 274(26):1473-6.
  12. Barnett ND, Kaplan AM, Hopkin RJ Saubolle MA,  Rudinsky MF. Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis with Naegleria fowleri: clinical review. Pediatr  Neurol 1996; 15 (3):230-4.
  13. Cleland PO, Lawande RV, Onyemelukwe G, Whittle HC. Chronic amoebic meningoencephalitis.  Arch Neurol 1982; 39(1): 56-57
  14. Wang SS, Feldman HA. Isolation of Hartmannella species from human throats. New Engl J Med 1967; 277 (22): 1174-9.
  15. Zabrodskii PF,  Kirichuk VF,  Osipov OV.  In vitro effects of alcohols and their metabolites on antibody-forming activity of T and B lymphocytes. Bull Exp Biol Med 2002; 133(3):258-60. [Article in Russian].

The fully formatted PDF version is available.

Download Article

Int J Biomed. 2013; 3(4):279-282. © 2013 International Medical Research and Development Corporation. All rights reserved.