Journal article
Mimicking a Psychiatric Disorder: Heroin-Induced Leukoencephalopathy
Curēus (Palo Alto, CA), Vol.12(10), 10805
10/05/2020
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.10805
PMCID: PMC7641477
PMID: 33163309
Abstract
Toxic leukoencephalopathy is a rare cause of encephalopathy. We describe two cases of toxic leukoencephalopathy associated with opiate abuse where they were misdiagnosed and admitted to the psychiatric ward. In our case series, both patients presented with behavioral changes, restlessness, pressured speech, and cognitive impairment for which they were initially labeled as psychiatric patients and were treated as such. However, after an extensive workup to elucidate the etiology of alteration in mental status, toxic leukoencephalopathy associated with heroin abuse was found to be the culprit in both cases. Toxic leukoencephalopathy is a rare condition that can be caused by inhalation of heroin. Clinically, it may present with confusion, behavioral changes, extrapyramidal symptoms, generalized motor deficit, unresponsiveness and even death. Our cases highlight the importance of recognizing the psychiatric presentation of toxic leukoencephalopathy.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Mimicking a Psychiatric Disorder: Heroin-Induced Leukoencephalopathy
- Creators
- Mustafa Al-Chalabi - University of ToledoSohaib Lateef - University of ToledoKhaled Gharaibeh - University of ToledoPurvi Saraiya - University of ToledoMalik Ghannam - University of Minnesota
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Curēus (Palo Alto, CA), Vol.12(10), 10805
- DOI
- 10.7759/cureus.10805
- PMID
- 33163309
- PMCID
- PMC7641477
- NLM abbreviation
- Cureus
- ISSN
- 2168-8184
- eISSN
- 2168-8184
- Publisher
- Cureus
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/05/2020
- Academic Unit
- Neurology
- Record Identifier
- 9984640712602771
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