Familial cerebral amyloid angiopathy with nonneuritic amyloid plaque formation.

Two families have been described previously with the features of an autosomal dominant familial cerebral amyloid angiopathy with nonneuritic plaque formation. The clinical features of the cases were dementia, spastic paralysis and ataxia. It has now been established that both families were descended from a common ancestor and the case histories of 26 affected individuals in 5 generations of this pedigree are reported.

Polyneuritis cranialis as a presentation of malignant lymphoma.

Two cases of polyneuritis cranialis resulting from infiltration of nerve roots by malignant lymphoma are described, and 8 previously reported cases discussed. In these, cranial nerve involvement was the presenting feature of lymphoma, and lesions at other sites were inconspicuous until necropsy. In one patient infectious mononucleosis developed concurrently with the neurological deficit.

Lhermitte's sign in subacute combined degeneration of the cord.

Lhermitte's sign is a common early symptom of subacute combined degeneration of the cord occurring in 11 out of 44 patients admitted to the National Hospitals for Nervous Diseases during the decade 1962-71 with this diagnosis. Two patients, in both of whom it was the presenting complaint, are described in detail. It is concluded that, in these cases, Lhermitte's sign is due to stretching of demyelinated fibres in the posterior columns in the cervical cord, produced by neck flexion.