[Encephalopathy and liver diseases (author's transl)].

As the central organ of metabolism the liver is of the highest importance for the nervous system and for the brain in particular, which only becomes apparent under pathological conditions. It is of importance to neurologists that for them the differential diagnosis of subclinical or chronic intermittent decompensating types of hepatic encephalopathy is predominant. We are actually concerned here with encephalomyeloneuropathies which become manifest by failure on the part of the spinal marrow and the peripheral nervous system. Among the various hepatocerebral diseases the rare Wilson's disease and sporadic Wilsonismus should be mentioned from the differential diagnostic point of view, and especially the differential diagnosis of the porphyrias should be given attention, since they may first appear spontaneously and suddenly under metabolic stress, e. g. anesthesia.