Everything You Need to Know About Metabolic Encephalopathy

Metabolic encephalopathy (ME) occurs when problems with your metabolism cause brain dysfunction. Causes range from low blood sugar to excess fluid in your brain. Symptoms range from confusion to coma. Prompt treatment is essential.

If you or someone you care for is diagnosed with an encephalopathy, it means they’re experiencing a brain dysfunction. There are many types of encephalopathies, and their effects can be temporary or permanent.

Metabolic encephalopathies (ME) are brain dysfunctions due to problems with your metabolism, or your body’s chemical processes that turn food into energy and filter out harmful toxins.

There are several causes of ME, but they generally can be broken into two groups: those that deprive your brain of something it needs, and those that allow a buildup of something that is not needed.

Treatment for ME will depend on the underlying cause, but proper treatment often improves symptoms.

Encephalopathies can affect anyone, but they tend to be more common among older adults, especially those over the age of 65 years.

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Let’s take a closer look at the different types of ME.

One cause of ME can be a lack of something necessary for healthy brain functioning.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re not taking in enough nutrients. Instead, it could be that your body isn’t processing the nutrients, so your brain isn’t getting what it needs.

This can also happen indirectly, meaning that one of your organs isn’t working properly, which prevents it from helping your brain to function.

Some causes of ME that fall into this group include:

Alternatively, ME can be the result of having too much of something, such as toxins usually filtered out by your kidneys or liver. An illness in one of your organs can lead to chemical changes that then affect how your brain functions. Examples include:

  • high glucose
  • high sodium
  • high carbon dioxide
  • too much fluid around your brain
  • kidney dysfunction
  • liver dysfunction

A closely related condition called toxic-metabolic encephalopathy (TME) can also be the result of medications, alcohol, or illicit substances that disrupt how your metabolism functions.

An altered mental state is generally the first sign of ME. Symptoms are frequently sudden but might progress more slowly for some people. In some cases, symptoms might resolve on their own after a few hours, but this does not mean that the underlying issue has been cured, and you should still seek treatment.

The progression of symptoms will depend, in part, on the cause of your ME.

Cognitive symptoms of ME can include:

  • memory loss
  • confusion
  • subtle personality changes
  • irritability
  • difficulty concentrating
  • fatigue
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • loss of consciousness (up to and including coma)
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You might also notice some symptoms of ME in other parts of your body besides your brain. These symptoms can include:

  • involuntary muscle movements
  • uncontrolled eye movement
  • difficulty swallowing
  • slurred speech

When to contact a doctor

ME is a serious medical condition. It may be due to severe issues in your brain or other vital organs.

The symptoms of ME also overlap with those of time-sensitive medical emergencies such as stroke.

If you’re experiencing sudden and unexplained symptoms of ME, seek medical attention immediately.

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