Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Subacute combined degeneration of the cord
Introduction
Subacute combined degeneration of spinal cord, also known as Lichtheim’s disease, refers to degeneration of the posterior and lateral columns of the spinal cord as a result of vitamin B12 deficiency. It is usually associated with pernicious anemia.
The pathological findings of subacute combined degeneration consist of patchy losses of myelin in the dorsal and lateral columns. Patients present with weakness of legs , arms, trunk, tingling and numbness that progressively worsens. Vision changes and change of mental state may also be present. Bilateral spastic paresis may develop and pressure, vibration and touch sense are diminished. A positive Babinski sign may be seen.
Therapy with vitamin B12 results in partial to full recovery, depending on the duration and extent of neurodegeneration.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]