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Topic:Neurological Diseases
Neurological diseases in horses encompass a range of disorders affecting the central and peripheral nervous systems. These conditions can arise from various etiologies, including infectious agents, genetic predispositions, trauma, or metabolic imbalances. Common neurological diseases in horses include equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), and cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CVSM), also known as wobbler syndrome. Clinical signs associated with these diseases may include ataxia, weakness, altered gait, and changes in behavior or mental status. Diagnosis typically involves a combination of clinical evaluation, imaging techniques, and laboratory testing. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that investigate the pathophysiology, diagnostic approaches, and treatment options for neurological diseases in equine populations.
Detection of spinal ataxia in horses using fuzzy clustering of body position uncertainty. Subjective neurological evaluation in horses is prone to bias. An objective method of spinal ataxia detection is not subject to these limitations and could be of use in equine practice and research. Objective: Kinematic data in the walking horse can differentiate normal and spinal ataxic horses. Methods: Twelve normal and 12 spinal ataxic horses were evaluated by kinematic analysis walking on a treadmill. Each body position signal was reduced to a scalar measure of uncertainty then fuzzy clustered into normal or ataxic groups. Correct classification percentage (CCP) was then calculated using m...
Synaptophysin: an immunohistochemical marker for animal dysautonomias. Equine and feline dysautonomias are characterized histopathologically by degenerating neurons with chromatolysis, pyknotic and sometimes eccentric nuclei, and loss of Nissl substance in the peripheral autonomic ganglia. Because it may be difficult to distinguish pathological from post-mortem changes in affected ganglia by histopathological examination, synaptophysin was evaluated as an immunohistochemical marker. Degenerating neurons showed strong intracytoplasmic labelling indicating abnormal accumulation of synaptophysin. It was concluded that synaptophysin immunohistochemistry is a helpful ...
Altered mesoaccumbens and nigro-striatal dopamine physiology is associated with stereotypy development in a non-rodent species. Stress-induced changes in mesoaccumbens dopamine neurophysiology have been associated with the development of stereotypic behaviour in in-bred strains of laboratory rodents. This experiment evaluated whether similar changes are associated with environmentally-induced stereotypic behaviour in a higher-vertebrate species, the horse. D1- and D2-like dopamine receptor densities (B(max)) and dissociation constants (K(d)) were measured in control (n=9) and stereotypy (n=9) horses in the nucleus accumbens, caudate nucleus, putamen, substantia nigra and ventral tegmentum brain regions. Results reveale...
Perinatal asphyxia syndrome in the foal: review and a case report. : This report presented a brief overview of the literature on the perinatal asphyxia syndrome (PAS) in foals as a prelude to a description of the investigation and treatment of acute onset seizures in a 24-hour-old Thoroughbred colt foal.PAS can cause a wide variety of clinical abnormalities, of which seizures due to encephalopathy are the most significant. The structural and biochemical components of CNS neurones are disrupted by the shift from oxidative to anaerobic metabolism, with a resultant deficit in cellular energy. The cells succumb to the combined effects of acidosis, neurotoxic acti...
Does the cytotoxic effect of transient amyloid oligomers from common equine lysozyme in vitro imply innate amyloid toxicity? In amyloid diseases, it is not evident which protein aggregates induce cell death via specific molecular mechanisms and which cause damage because of their mass accumulation and mechanical properties. We showed that equine lysozyme assembles into soluble amyloid oligomers and protofilaments at pH 2.0 and 4.5, 57 degrees C. They bind thioflavin-T and Congo red similar to common amyloid structures, and their morphology was monitored by atomic force microscopy. Molecular volume evaluation from microscopic measurements allowed us to identify distinct types of oligomers, ranging from tetramer to oc...
Infection of immunodeficient horses with Sarcocystis neurona does not result in neurologic disease. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis is a progressive neurologic disease of horses most commonly caused by infection with the apicomplexan parasite Sarcocystis neurona. Factors affecting neuroinvasion and neurovirulence have not been determined. We investigated the pathogenesis of infection with S. neurona in horses with severe combined immune deficiency (SCID). Two immunocompetent (IC) Arabian horses and two Arabian horses with SCID were infected orally with 5 x 10(5) sporocysts of S. neurona. Four IC horses and one SCID horse were infected intravenously (i.v.) with 5 x 10(8) merozoites of the ...
Fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy in a horse. Fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy was diagnosed in a 11-year-old, male, Tennessee Walking Horse by histopathological examination of the spinal cord after the horse was killed because of severe neurological dysfunction. Both ventral funiculi of C6 and C7 cervical spinal cord had extensive necrosis with blood vessels containing fibrocartilaginous emboli. A similar fibrocartilaginous embolus was observed in a single large spinal artery adjoining the vertebral leptomeninges.
Equine herpesvirus 1 and 4. Equine herpesvirus infections in horses remain a significant cause of abortion and neurologic disease. These viruses are also responsible for mild signs of respiratory disease. The ability to establish latent infections with periodic reactivation or transmission to other horses is an important feature of these herpesviruses. One of the most unique aspects of this report is the description of horses demonstrating neurologic signs serving as the source of infection for other horses. Accurate diagnosis and better means of protection for horses remain problems facing veterinarians and horse owners...
Characterization of the role of glutathione in repin-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and dopaminergic neurotoxicity in rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. Repin, a major constituent in extracts of the plant Centaurea repens is thought to be the active principal responsible for the development of equine nigropallidal encephalomalacia (ENE), a fatal Parkinson-like neurodegenerative disorder in horses. Although the exact mechanism by which ingestion of this weed causes ENE is uncertain, a limited body of experimental evidence suggests a critical role for the glutathione redox system. In the present study, the mechanism of repin neurotoxicity was examined in PC12 cells with a focus on determining the role of glutathione (GSH) in repin-induced mitoch...
Utility of high-performance liquid chromatography in the characterization of iatrogenic sodium diatrizoate-induced seizures in a horse. Diagnostic evaluation of a mildly ataxic young gelding Quarterhorse included a contrast myelogram. Unfortunately, sodium diatrizoate was inappropriately administered by intrathecal injection resulting in severe unrelenting seizure activity and necessitated the destruction of the animal. The contrast agent was identified by analyzing cerebrospinal fluid by high-performance liquid chromatography and confirmed with probe mass spectrometric analysis. This contrast agent is highly ionic, has high osmolarity, and also blocks neurotransmission at specific receptors; for these reasons it is contraindi...
Clinical anatomy of the equine sphenopalatine sinus. Disorders of the equine sphenopalatine sinus, including empyema and neoplasia, have been reported to cause damage to cranial nerves II and V. However, the clinical anatomy of these sinuses is not well described in horses. Objective: To examine the anatomy of the sphenopalatine sinuses in a range of equidae and, in particular, to examine the relationship of these sinuses to adjacent major nerves and vessels. Methods: The anatomy of the sphenoidal and palatine paranasal sinuses was examined in 16 equidae, primarily using transverse skull sections. Relevant structures were documented and photogra...
Hippotherapy. Hippotherapy refers to the use of the movement of the horse asa treatment tool by physical therapists, occupational therapists,and speech-language therapists to address impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities in clients with neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction, such as cerebral palsy. Hippotherapy is used as part of an integrated treatment program to achieve functional outcomes. Hippotherapy engages the client in activities on the horse that are enjoyable and challenging. In the controlled hippotherapyenvironment, the therapist modifies the horse's movement and carefully grades sens...
Inactivation of the cytotoxic activity of repin, a sesquiterpene lactone from Centaurea repens. Prolonged ingestion of Yellow Starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) and Russian Knapweed (Centaurea repens) by horses has been shown to result in a fatal neurodegenerative disorder called equine nigropallidal encephalomalacia (ENE). Bioassay-guided fractionation of extracts from Centaurea species using the PC12 cell line have led to the identification of one of several putative agents, which may contribute to ENE, namely, the sesquiterpene lactone (SQL) repin (1), previously linked to ENE due to its abundance in C. repens. To characterize the molecular basis of repin-induced neurotoxicity, the ...
Depletion of natural killer cells does not result in neurologic disease due to Sarcocystis neurona in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency. Sarcocystis neurona is an apicomplexan parasite that is the primary etiologic agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis in horses. Protective immune responses in horses have not been determined, but interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) is considered critical for protection from neurologic disease in mice. The role of adaptive and innate immune responses in control of parasites was explored by infecting BALB/c, IFN-gamma knockout (GKO), and severe combined immune deficient (SCID) mice with S. neurona (10(4) sporocysts/mouse). Immune competent BALB/c mice eliminated parasites within 30 days, with no s...
Leukoencephalitis associated with selective viral replication in the brain of a pony with experimental chronic equine infectious anemia virus infection. Neurologic disease occurs sporadically in horses infected with the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). This report describes a case of clinically severe neurologic disease in a pony experimentally infected with EIAV. This pony did not have fever or anemia, which are the characteristic clinical signs of disease. The histopathologic changes were characterized as lymphohistiocytic periventricular leukoencephalitis. Polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization data showed that the brain lesions were directly associated with viral replication and that high-level viral replication occurred...
Use of the meridian test for the detection of equine herpesvirus type 1 infection in horses with decreased performance. To evaluate use of the acupuncture meridian test for detection of recent or recently reactivated equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) infection in horses with decreased performance. Methods: Case-control study. Methods: 40 horses. Methods: Physical and neurologic examinations were performed, and acupuncture points on the bladder meridian were tested for sensitivity reactions in case and control horses. Polymerase chain reaction assays were performed to determine whether EHV-1 or equine herpesvirus type 4 (EHV-4) DNA could be detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Complement fixation (CF)...
Cytology of the normal and abnormal choroid plexi in selected domestic mammals, wildlife species, and man. A cytologic study of the choroid plexi of animals and humans was carried out using impression smears (imprints, imp) to understand better the cellular changes that occur in the cerebrospinal fluid in the case of disease. The samples, totaling 756 imp were from 11 dogs (239 imp), 10 horses (219 imp), 1 mule (23 imp), 3 cattle (69 imp), 1 sheep (19 imp), 2 pigs (39 imp), 1 deer (20 imp), 4 monkeys (22 imp), and 7 humans (106 imp). The samples came from individuals clinically free of neurologic disease, as well as from a few abnormal cases. Six of the 7 humans had no history of neurologic disease...
Sarcocystis neurona (Protozoa: Apicomplexa): description of oocysts, sporocysts, sporozoites, excystation, and early development. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis is a major cause of neurological disease in horses from the Americas. Horses are considered accidental intermediate hosts. The structure of sporocysts of the causative agent, Sarcocystis neurona, has never been described. Sporocysts of S. neurona were obtained from the intestines of a laboratory-raised opossum fed skeletal muscles from a raccoon that had been fed sporocysts. Sporocysts were 11.3 by 8.2 microm and contained 4 sporozoites. The appearance of the sporocyst residuum was variable. The residuum of some sporocysts was composed of many dispersed granu...
[West Nile virus: in France again, in humans and horses]. West Nile virus (WNV) is a common arbovirosis, transmitted by mosquitoes mainly Culex. WNV is commonly responsible for equine epizootics and epidemics in humans in sub-Saharan Africa. It has been occasionally described in Southern Europe and in some Mediterranean countries. Since 1994, WNV clinical aspects seem to change with an increase of central neurological involvement and a higher mortality, especially among people older than 50 years. In 1999, WNV reached New York, being responsible for severe clinical manifestations. It spread all over North America in less than four years Four (only fo...
Magnetic resonance imaging of a brain abscess in a 10-month-old filly. The purpose of this paper was to correlate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of a mature brain abscess in a horse with histopathologic alterations of brain tissue. Eight months after the onset of clinical signs, MRI of the brain of a 10-month-old filly was performed. A large space-occupying lesion in the right cerebral hemisphere was identified. This space-occupying lesion was delineated by a thick and well-defined capsule that was isointense to brain parenchyma on the T1-weighted images and with a markedly hypointense on the T2-weighted images. The identification of such a ...
The mystery of fungal infection in the guttural pouches. Advances in the understanding of guttural pouch physiology and novel therapeutic approaches to mycotic infections in the horse are reviewed. It is suggested that the guttural pouches may contribute to the regulation of arterial blood temperature, cooling the circulation to the brain to below body temperature. Aspergillus spp. is the major organism found in a guttural pouch affected with mycosis but it is unclear why this agent becomes aggressive. Conventional therapy aims to prevent fatal haemorrhage and to treat any neurological lesions but it is desirable to try to prevent the disease. A tec...
A punch drunk jockey? The case is reported of a retired professional jockey with progressive memory loss. The concern is that he may be suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy or the "punch drunk syndrome".
Clinical West Nile virus infection in 2 horses in western Canada. Two horses had a history of ataxia and weakness or recumbency. One recovered and was diagnosed with West Nile virus (WNV) infection by serologic testing. The other was euthanized; it had meningoencephalomyelitis, WNV was detected by polymerase chain reaction. West Nile virus infection is an emerging disease. Year 2002 is the first year in which cases have been seen in Saskatchewan. Deux chevaux présentaient une histoire d’ataxie et de faiblesse ou de décubitus. Un cheval s’est rétabli et un diagnostic d’infection au virus du Nil occidental (VNO) a été posé par épreuve sérologiqu...
Brain injury after head trauma: pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Brain injury after impact to the head is due to both immediate mechanical effects and delayed responses of neural tissues. In horses, traumatic brain injury occurs in three main settings: (1) poll impact in horses that flip over backwards; (2) frontal/parietal impact in horses that run into a fixed object, and (3) injury to the vestibular apparatus secondary to temporohyoid osteoarthropathy. Distinct forebrain, vestibular, midbrain, hindbrain, or multifocal syndromes may be encountered in horses with traumatic brain injury. The most important components of treatment are those consistent with p...
Neurologic abnormalities and cerebrospinal fluid changes in horses administered fumonisin B1 intravenously. The objective of this experiment was to characterize a dose-dependent toxic effect of fumonisin B1 (FB1) and to document initial neurologic signs, clinical progression, and terminal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) changes in horses administered FB1 IV. Seventeen healthy horses were administered 0.00 (n = 4), 0.01 (n = 3), 0.05 (n = 3), 0.10 (n = 3), or 0.20 mg (n = 4) of purified FB1 IV q24h. When neurologic abnormalities observed by a masked observer became severe, atlanto-occipital CSF taps were performed and CSF pressure, cell count, cytology, protein, albumin and glucose concentrations, and crea...
Bacterial meningitis and brain abscesses secondary to infectious disease processes involving the head in horses: seven cases (1980-2001). To determine clinical features of horses with bacterial meningitis or brain abscesses secondary to infectious disease processes involving the head. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 7 adult horses. Methods: Medical records of Tufts University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (Lexington, Ky) were reviewed to identify adult (> 12 months old) horses in which a postmortem diagnosis of bacterial meningitis or brain abscess had been made. Horses were included in the study if an intracranial infection was confirmed, the horse had a primary infectious d...
