HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY NEUROPSYOHIATRIO MANIFESTATIONS AND PATHOGENESIS

Abstract

Hepatic encephalopathy is a serious complication of liver disease and refers to neuropsychiatric symptoms occurring in acute or chronic liver disease in absence of other neurological disorders.

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In recent years there has been an enormous increase in the awareness and understanding of the role of trace elements in human health and disease. Series of studies were done in the last years studying the changes of trace elements levels in different diseases including liver disease. Current evidence suggests that a disturbance in the concentration of trace elements can produce various neuropsychiatric symptomatology .

The present work aimed to study some of the trace elements, namely zinc, copper, iron, manganese, and magnesium in serum and C.S.F. of patients suffering from hepatic encephalopathy.

Trial was made to explain the changes found in the concentration of these elements in serum and C.S.F and the relation between these changes and pathogenesis of hepatic encephelopathy.

The study included 30 subjects, 20 patients having chromic. liver disease with hepatic encephelopathy and 10 subjects worked as the control group. Results showed significant changes in some trace elements in patients group.