subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord in the elderly

Subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord is a neurodegenerative disease caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, usually occurring together with pernicious anemia. The main pathological changes of this disease are in the posterior and lateral columns of the spinal cord, with clinical manifestations of deep sensory disturbance, sensory ataxia, and spastic paralysis, accompanied by peripheral sensory disturbances. Some scholars believe that the damage of this disease is not limited to the spinal cord; the optic nerves and cerebral hemispheres may also be affected, and the spinal cord damage is not limited to the conduction tracts of the posterior and lateral columns, as the white matter of the entire spinal cord may be involved.