Friday, March 16, 2012

Another cause for myeloneuropathy

Copper deficiency can cause myeloneuropathy. Zinc excess or malabsorption syndrome are the common cause for same. Denture creams containing excess zinc can cause copper deficiency.
In fact zinc is used in Wilson's disease because of its ability to induce metallothionein, which binds copper and reduces its absorption.
Clioquinol, the cause for SMON (myeloneuropathy with optic nerve involvement), is an avid chelator. It has been used in acrodermatitis enteropathica, a childhood disease due to a hereditary defect in zinc transport. Clioquinol binds zinc and improves the transport into the circulation.
From:
Schaumburg H. Copper deficiency myeloneuropathy: A clue to clioquinol-induced subacute myelo-optic neuropathy? Neurology 2008; Vol 71, Issue 9

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