Methanol optic neuropathy

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The histopathologic effects of methanol on the optic nerve were studied in 4 patients. Circumscribed myelin damage occurred behind the lamina cribrosa in each nerve while the axons were preserved. Demyelination also occurred in cerebral hemispheric white matter in 1 patient. This selective myelinoclastic effect of methanol metabolism is probably caused by histotoxic anoxia in watershed areas of the cerebral and distal optic nerve circulations. Juxtabulbar demyelination may cause optic disk edema in methanol poisoning by compressive obstruction of orthograde axoplasmic flow. Visual loss may be due to disruption of saltatory conduction. Retrolaminar demyelinating optic neuropathy is an early morphologic correlate of visual loss in methanol intoxication.

This publication has 6 references indexed in Scilit: