Pathophysiology of hepatic encephalopathy: studies in autopsied brain tissue from hepatic coma patients

Abstract

The understanding of pathophysiologic mechanisms of several neurological and psychiatric diseases has been derived from measurement of neurochemical parameters in autopsied brain tissue. In this report, the author reviews some neuropathological studies from autopsied patients died in hepatic coma. He mentions and analyze the findings in astrocytes, brain amino acid content, amines and their metabolites, brain enzymes activities, and affinity and density of GABA-benzodiazepine receptor complex as well as muscarinic cholinergic receptor function.