Unusual thalamic inclusions in an infant with progressive neurologic dysfunction and blindness

Abstract

A 25-month-old boy had a progressive neurologic disorder which started at two months of age and was characterized by seizures, blindness, partial deafness and severe hypotonic quadriparesis. Neuropathologic examination demonstrated the presence of intracytoplasmic neuronal inclusions which were entirely restricted to the thalamus. The inclusions had the histochemical staining characteristics of a glycolipid, were autofluorescent, and ultrastructurally consisted of concentric and parallel arrays of double membranes and curvilinear profiles. These features suggest that the infant may have had a disorder related to neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Review of the literature failed to disclose a similar case.