[Marchiafava-Bignani disease of good prognosis. Two cases].

BACKGROUND

Marchiafava-Bignami disease or corpus callosum necrosis, is an uncommon complication of chronic alcoholism. Prognosis is severe.

CASE REPORTS: Two young adults with chronic alcoholism who developed Marchiafava-Bignami disease initially improved clinically.

DISCUSSION: Diagnosis has been facilitated with MRI. An MRI exploration should be performed in chronic alcoholic patients presenting chronic encephalopathy with dementia, dysarthria, hypertonia, and ataxia, or acute encephalopathy with confusion, dumbness, seizures, and hypertonia. Necrosis of the corpus callosum gives the diagnosis of Marchiafava-Bignami disease.