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Medical Definition of Encephalitis periaxialis
1. Rare demyelinating disease characterised by massive destruction of the myelin in the cerebral hemispheres, cavity formation, and glial scarring. Clinical symptoms include bilateral spasticity, cortical blindness, and progressive dementia. Encephalitis periaxialis diffusa (= schilder's disease) should be reserved for instances of myelinoclastic diffuse sclerosis that correspond to the case described by schilder in 1912. Schilder's disease should not be confused with addison-schilder disease (= adrenoleukodystrophy). (12 Dec 1998)