Toxic leukoencephalopathy.

The white matter of the brain is vulnerable to a wide variety of toxins. Leukoencephalopathy is being increasingly recognized in a number of different patient populations. The detection of early and subtle toxin effects has been facilitated by the advent of magnetic resonance imaging, which offers better resolution of white matter than other neuroimaging methods. Neuropathologic features of leukoencephalopathy are also becoming more completely elucidated. Injury to white matter has been described from cranial irradiation and cancer chemotherapeutic drugs, and from a number of other therapeutic agents, drugs of abuse, and environmental toxins. Many patients have reversible leukoencephalopathy, whereas others experience a progressive and irreversible course. Leukoencephalopathy is associated with neurobehavioral manifestations that may be subtle or devastating, and the syndrome of white matter dementia may result. The pathogenesis of toxic leukoencephalopathy remains largely unknown, and treatment is limited in most cases to prevention by avoidance or minimization of the toxin exposure. However, the prognosis for this syndrome may be relatively favorable because of the frequent sparing of axons even when myelin is affected. Toxic leukoencephalopathy is an emerging clinical disorder that presents the opportunity for improving clinical outcomes in a number of patient groups and for achieving a deeper understanding of the role of white matter in cognitive and emotional function.