Skip to main content
Log in

Strachan's syndrome: variation on a theme

  • Original Communications
  • Published:
Journal of Neurology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We report two patients of Afro-Caribbean origin with an ataxic neuropathy combined with visual loss and deafness. In previous reports of a similar syndrome most patients have been malnourished and have had mucocutaneous lesions, features which were absent in our patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aregheore EM, Agunbiade BS (1991) The toxic effects of cassava diets on humans: a review. Vet Hum Toxicol 33: 274–275

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Baker RS, Upton ARM (1979) Variation of phenotype in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Neuropädiatrie 10:290–296

    Google Scholar 

  3. Clarke CA, Sneddon IB (1946) Nutritional neuropathy in prisoners of war and internees from Hong Kong. Lancet 1:734–735

    Google Scholar 

  4. Crawford JN, Reid JAG (1947) Nutritional disease affecting affecting Canadian troops held prisoner of war by the Japanese. Can J Res Sect E 25:53–66

    Google Scholar 

  5. Cruickshank EK (1961) Nuromuscular disease in relation to nutrition. Fed Prod 20:345–347

    Google Scholar 

  6. Dyck PJ (1984) Inherited neuronal degeneration and atrophy. In: Dyck PJ, Thomas PK, Lambert E, Bunge R (eds) Peripheral neuropathy, vol 2. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 1637–1638

    Google Scholar 

  7. Fasler JJ, Clifford Rose F (1980) West Indian amblyopia. Postgrad Med J 56:494–500

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Ferguson FR, Critchley M (1928) Leber's optic atrophy and its relationship with the heredo-familial ataxias. J Neurol Psychopathol 19:120–126

    Google Scholar 

  9. Fisher CM (1955) Residual neuropathological changes in Canadians held prisoners of war by the Japanese. Can Serv Med J 77:157–159

    Google Scholar 

  10. Howlett WP, Brukbaker GR, Mling N, Rosling H (1990) Konzo, an epidemic upper motor neuron disease studied in Tanzania. Brain 113:223–235

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Hoyt WF (1960) Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease with primary optic atrophy: report of a case. Arch Opthalmol 64:925–930

    Google Scholar 

  12. Khoubesserian P, Van Regemarter N, Ohrn-Dgueldre O, et al (1979) Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease associated retinal pigment dystrophy and protanopia. J Neurol 221:1–3

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Landor JV, Pallister RA (1935) Avitaminosis B. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 29:121

    Google Scholar 

  14. McLeod JG, Low PA, Morgan JA (1975) A family with Charcot-Marie-Tooth and Leber's optic atrophy. Proc Aust Assoc Neurol 12:23–26

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Metivier VM (1941) Eye disease due to vitamin deficiency in Trinidad. Am J Opthalmol 24:1265–1270

    Google Scholar 

  16. Milhorat AT (1943) Studies in disease of muscles. 14. Progressive muscular atrophy of peroneal type associated with atrophy of the optic nerves: report on a family. Arch Neurol 50:279–282

    Google Scholar 

  17. Miller NR (1983) In: Walsh, Hoyt (eds) Clinical neuroophthalmology. Williams and Wilkins, London, p 113

    Google Scholar 

  18. Money GL (1959) Clinical aspects of tropical ataxic neuropathy due to malnutrition. West Afr Med J 8:3–6

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Montgomery RD, Cruickshank EK, Robertson WB, et al (1964) Clinical and pathological observations on Jamaican neuropathy. Brain 87:425–456

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Osuntokun BO (1981) Cassava diet, chronic cyanide intoxication and neuropathy in the Nigerian Africans. World Rev Nutr Diet 36:141–173

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Osuntokun BO, Osuntokun B (1971) Tropical amblyopia in Nigerians. Am J Opthalmol 72:708–716

    Google Scholar 

  22. Peraita M (1946) Deficiency neuropathies in Madrid during the civil war. BMJ 23:784

    Google Scholar 

  23. Rosenberg RN, Chutorian A (1967) Familial opticoacoustic nerve degeneration and polyneuropathy. Neurology 17:827–833

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Scott HH (1918) An investigation into an acute outbreak of central neuritis. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 12:109–111

    Google Scholar 

  25. Simpson J (1946) Burning feet in British prisoners of war in the Far East. Lancet I:959–960

    Google Scholar 

  26. Spillane JD, Scott GI (1945) Obscure neuropathy in the Middle East. Lancet I:261–265

    Google Scholar 

  27. Stannus HS (1936) Pellagra and pellagra like conditions in warm climates. Trop Dis Bull 33:729–731

    Google Scholar 

  28. Strachan H (1888) Malarial multiple peripheral neuritis. Sajou Ann Universal Med Sci 1:139–151

    Google Scholar 

  29. Strachan H (1897) On a form of multiple neuritis prevalent in the West Indics. Practitioner 59:477–484

    Google Scholar 

  30. Thomas PK (1984) Other inherited neuropathies. In: Dyck PJ, Thomas PK, Lambert E, Bunge R (eds) Peripheral neuropathy, vol 2. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 1764–1765

    Google Scholar 

  31. Try K (1969) Heredopathia atactica polyneuritiformis (Refsum disease). The diagnostic value of phytanic acid determination in serum lipids. Eur Neurol 2:296–297

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Tuboku-Metger AF (1969) Diet and neuropathy. BMJ 4:239

    Google Scholar 

  33. Victor M (1984) Strachan syndrome. In: Dyck PJ, Thomas PK, Lambert E, Bunge R (eds) Peripheral neuropathy, vol 2. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 1910–1912

    Google Scholar 

  34. Whitfield RGS (1947) Anomalous manifestations of malnutrition in Japanese prison camps. BMJ 2:164

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cockerell, O.C., Ormerod, I.E.C. Strachan's syndrome: variation on a theme. J Neurol 240, 315–318 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00838170

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00838170

Key words

Navigation