Brain and spine cord lesions caused by syphilis
OBJECTIVE: To analyze clinical features of the nervous system damage in syphilis taking into account the changes in the content of cerebrospinal fluid and clinical/anatomical brain damages of the brain. METHODS: The study was based on the analysis of 47 case histories of patients hospitalized in 1995-2001. The group included 47 patients, aged from 17 to 60 years. RESULTS: Syphilitic meningitis, syphilitic meningoneuritis, syphilitic menongoencephalitis, syphilitic meningovasculitis, cerebral gummas, syphilitic meningomyelitis and mental changes caused by syphilis are reviewed. CONCLUSIONS: The pathogenesis of different clinical forms of syphilitic damages of the brain and terminological issues are discussed.