Leigh's disease: a cause of arterial hypertension.

An 11-year-old boy developed sudden and severe arterial hypertension. A post-mortem examination revealed bilateral symmetrical lesions in the medulla oblongata which were typical of Leigh's disease (subacute necrotizing encephalomyelopathy). Other cases of Leigh's disease with hypertension or left ventricular hypertrophy have shown similar brain stem lesions. Bilateral lesions of Leigh's disease in the dorsal medulla involving the solitary tract and nucleus can cause neurogenic hypertension and this may be an important clinical sign which has been neglected.