Comments from Website author: While this doesn't say definitively that argyria is necessarily always accompanied by brain changes and/or psychosis (in fact the evidence would suggest otherwise, but..) one would be wise to be cautious of this area. (The glial cells, by the way, are the "support cells" of the brain -- those which support the functioning neurons. Einstein's glial cells, incidentally, were reputed to be quite well developed.)
Comments from Physicians at this article's end: None

Brain involvement in generalized argyria.

Clin Neuropathol, 3: 1, 1984 Jan-Feb, 32-6

 

Abstract

Cutaneous argyria was diagnosed in a 59-year-old woman. Manic depressive psychosis developed at about the same or a short time thereafter. The patient died 6 years later from a ruptured aortic aneurysm. At autopsy silver deposits were seen in skin, mucous membranes, heart, kidney, and liver. In the central nervous system the leptomeninges and choroid plexuses contained silver granules. In addition, silver granules were visualized in the walls of many intraparenchymal vessels, particularly of the basal ganglia, hypothalamus, substantia nigra, and cerebellum. Progressive glial changes and cellular gliosis were evident in many areas of the brain. With the electron microscope the deposition of silver granules in basal membrane structures of the choroid plexus and intracerebral vasculature was amply confirmed. Furthermore, silver deposition was seen in brain parenchymal cells inside bodies of apparently lysosomal nature. The silver content of various brain regions was determined by absorption spectrophotometry.

 

Dietl HW; Anzil AP; Mehraein P

Language of Publication

English

Unique Identifier

84157388

MeSH Heading (Major)

Argyria [CO/ET/*PA], Brain [*PA]

MeSH Heading

Basement Membrane [AN], Bipolar Disorder [CO], Blood-Brain Barrier, Case Report, Choroid Plexus [PA], Female, Human, Meninges [PA], Microscopy, Electron, Middle Age, Self Medication, Silver Nitrate [AD/AN], Skin Diseases [CO], Spectrophotometry

Publication Type

JOURNAL ARTICLE

ISSN

0722-5091

Country of Publication

GERMANY, WEST

CAS Registry/EC Number

7761-88-8 (Silver Nitrate)