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Ganglioglioma of the Right Cerebrothalamus in a 7-Year-Old Quarter Horse Cross Gelding.
Abstract: Intracranial neoplasia in horses is rare compared to other species. Detailed information such as neurological, electroencephalographic, and histopathological examination of horses with intracranial neoplasia associated with seizures is scarce in the literature. Furthermore, ganglioglioma has not been reported in the horse. A 7-year-old Quarter horse cross Paint gelding was examined due to recurrent seizure-like episodes of 1-year duration. The seizures had been increasing in frequency and length, occurring up to 20 times a day at the time of presentation. Neurological examination revealed intermittent obtundation and multiple left sided abnormalities consisting of upper motor facial and tongue hemiparesis, facial hyperesthesia and cervical hypoesthesia, proprioceptive deficits, thoracic limb hypermetria upon head elevation; and intermittent paroxysmal activity consistent with seizures. Cranial nerve reflexes were normal. Vocalization, conjugate vertical nystagmus, intermittent blindness, left sided head tilt and flexion of neck, and lack of response to environmental stimuli were observed during seizure activity. A right sided cerebrothalamic disease was suspected. An electroencephalogram confirmed seizure activity with main focus on the right side at the central, parietal, and occipital regions further supporting neuroanatomical localization. Additionally, subclinical paroxysmal activity was noted on the electroencephalogram. A ganglioglioma was identified in the right cerebrothalamic area, and other cranial parts of the brainstem based on immunohistochemical examination. To the authors' knowledge this is the first report of intracranial ganglioglioma in the horse. This intracranial neoplasia should be added to the possible causes of intracranial masses and seizures in horses.
Copyright © 2019 Easton-Jones, Woolard, Mohr, Roy and Aleman.
Publication Date: 2019-10-22 PubMed ID: 31696122PubMed Central: PMC6817571DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00356Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
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Summary
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The research article describes a case of a rare brain tumor, called ganglioglioma, found in a 7-year-old Quarter horse cross Paint gelding. The horse exhibited seizure-like symptoms and neurological abnormalities that led to diagnosis and the decision to perform an electroencephalogram and immunohistochemical examination. This study adds ganglioglioma to the list of potential causes of brain masses and seizures in horses.
Case Presentation
- The Quarter horse cross Paint gelding was brought in for examination due to recurrent, and increasingly frequent and long, seizure-like episodes. At the time of the examination, these episodes were occurring up to 20 times a day.
- During a neurological examination, the horse exhibited a variety of symptoms including intermittent confusion, many left-sided abnormalities such as facial and tongue paralysis, facial hypersensitivity and neck numbness, coordination issues, extra movement in the front limbs when the head was lifted, and seizure-like activity. However, the horse’s cranial nerve reflexes were normal.
- The horse also exhibited vocalization, rapid eye movement, intermittent blindness, a left-side head tilt and neck flexion, and lack of response to environmental stimuli during seizure activity.
- Given these symptoms, a right sided cerebrothalamic disease was suspected.
Diagnostic Tests and Results
- An electroencephalogram was performed which confirmed the presence of seizure activity, mainly focused on the right side in the central, parietal, and occipital regions of the brain. This result further supported the suspicion of a disease localized in the cerebrothalamus.
- Additionally, the electroencephalogram showed subclinical paroxysmal activity, which are irregular brain waves often associated with seizures.
- Immunohistochemical examination, a method used to visually detect specific antigens in cells of a tissue section, revealed the presence of a ganglioglioma in the right cerebrothalamic area as well as in other parts of the brainstem.
Implications of the Findings
- This case and the subsequent diagnose represent the first documented occurrence of a ganglioglioma, a typically benign and slow-growing tumor, in a horse. Up until this point, gangliogliomas had not been reported in horses.
- The research led the authors to suggest that this type of intracranial neoplasia should be included as a possible cause of brain masses and seizures in horses, thus broadening the spectrum of possible diagnoses in such cases.
Cite This Article
APA
Easton-Jones C, Woolard K, Mohr FC, Roy MA, Aleman M.
(2019).
Ganglioglioma of the Right Cerebrothalamus in a 7-Year-Old Quarter Horse Cross Gelding.
Front Vet Sci, 6, 356.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2019.00356 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- School of Veterinary Medicine, The William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.
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Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Matto C, Rivero R, Woolard K, Uzal FA. Ganglioglioma in the spinal cord of a steer. J Vet Diagn Invest 2026 Jan 29;:10406387251412619.
- Vinardell T, Elestwani S, Jamieson C, Karim E, Robin M, Glynn S, Benini R, Aleman M. Electroencephalographic evaluation under standing sedation using sublingual detomidine hydrochloride in Egyptian Arabian foals for investigation of epilepsy. J Vet Intern Med 2023 May-Jun;37(3):1209-1215.
- Palmisano M, Bender S, Johnson AL. Intracranial medulloblastoma as the cause of progressive ataxia in a 6-month-old draft horse cross gelding. J Vet Intern Med 2023 Jan;37(1):361-365.
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