Central pontine myelinolysis pathophysiology
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Pathophysiology
Brain cells adjust their osmolarities by changing levels of certain osmolytes like Inositol, Betaine, and Glutamine. In hyponatremia the levels of these osmolytes fall, preventing entry of free-water into cells. The reverse is true for hypernatremia. So rapid correction of sodium in hyponatremia would cause the extra cellular fluid to be relatively hypertonic. Free-water would then move out of the cells. This leads to central pontine myelinolysis. Rapid correction of hypernatremia causes water to move into cells, leading to multiple cerebral hemorrhages, equally catastrophic as osmotic demyelination.