Natural History of Spongy State

1) One case of Inose-type of hepatocerebral disease was reported clinicopathologically. 2) The literature on spongy state of the gray matter of the nervous system is reviewed. Fischer's opinion that the spongy state is the end result of neuron loss is no longer accepted. The functional disturbances of Hortega's angio-glione are especially put forward nowadays. A historical review of neuropile spongy state stresses the enormous contribution of the German neuropathological school. Different authors have studied some particular features which a posteriori take a new signification: Spielmeyer has discovered the notion of glial insufficiency; Konowalow has put forward the glio-capillary intoxication; Scholz has considered the problems of dysoria and serous exsudation; von Braunmuhl has discussed the hydratation and deshydratation phenomena. Finally, Stochdorph has emphasized the importance of the main vascular territories. The ideas of Spielmeyer, Scholz, von Braunmuhl and Stochdorph remain highly and fundamentally valuable but must be associated together in order to obtain a dynamical conception of the way spongy state is produced. Every spongy state results from different factors: some of them are susceptible to predominate but very often they act together. According to the historical features we mentioned, it becomes evident that the facts revealed by the more recent developments of molecular biology represent only further progress and materialization of Hortega's angio-glione disturbances theory.