Creationists launch "science" journal

The journal Nature news writer Geoff Brumfiel writes about a journal created to offset legitimate science. The title of this journal is Answers Research Journal (ARJ). Readers beware...

Brumfiel, "Creationists launch 'science' journal", Nature 451, 382-383 (2008)

Italian wine drinkers and unexpected brain lesions?

In 1903, Italian pathologists Amico Bignami and Ettore Marchiafava discovered a rare disorder in three Italian patients who consumed a considerable amount of red wine [1]. In these patients, approximately 2/3 of the corpus callosum (large white matter tract connecting each hemisphere of the brain, see figure) was necrotic (essentially rotten). Through the years, many more cases have been reported in the medical literature, including a few recently [2-4].
Does this mean that Italians are particularly at risk?
For many years, Italian heritage was thought to contribute to this disorder, likely because it was Italian pathologists who discovered the disease (termed Marchiafava-Bignami disease, or MBD). Since this disease was discovered, researchers have found this disease in persons from all over the world, prevalent mostly in male patients with a history of alcoholism.

So is it the red wine?
Although MBD is often called the "Red Wine Drinkers Encephalopathy" [5] it has been attributed to the abuse of all types of alcohol, not just red wine.

So what causes MBD, if not red wine?
Alcoholism remains the greatest risk factor, although rare cases have occurred in individuals who did not drink alcohol. Another hypothesis is that electrolyte disturbances (salts and other minerals found in body fluids) may be important. Overall, there is no consensus about what causes this disorder, although some clinicians believe it to be caused by a deficiency of vitamin B complex.

[1] E. Marchiafava, A. Bignami. "Sopra un' alterazione del corpo calloso osservata da sogetti alcoolisti." Rivista di patologia nervosa e mentale, 1903; 8 (12): 544-549.

[2] A. Arbelaez, A. Pajon, M. Castillo. "Acute Marchiafava-Bignami Disease: MR Findings in Two Patients," American Journal of Neuroradiology, 2003; 24: 1955-57.

[3] A. Machado, J. Soares-Fernandes, et al. "Alcohol abuse and acute behavioral disturbances in a 24-year-old patient. Diagnosis: Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD)," Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 2009; 16 (6).

[4] L. Aggunlu, Y. Oner, B. Kocer, S. Akpek, "The value of diffusion-weighted imaging in the diagnosis of Marchiafava-Bignami disease: apropos of a case," Journal of Neuroimaging, 2008; 18 (2): 188-90.

[5] M. Drobny, B. Saniova, "Red wine drinkers encephalopathy: Marchiafava Bignami disease," Neuroendocrinology Letters, 2007; 28 suppl 4: 17.