A 15-year-old girl presents with tremors, dystonia, and Kayser-Fleischer rings on ophthalmic examination. Laboratory studies show low serum ceruloplasmin and elevated hepatic copper content. Where does copper primarily accumulate in the brain in this condition?

• A Caudate nucleus
• B Substantia nigra
• C Subthalamic nucleus
• D Putamen ✓

Explanation

Wilson disease causes copper accumulation primarily in the liver and brain. In the brain, the putamen is the most severely affected site, leading to the characteristic motor and psychiatric manifestations. The caudate is primarily atrophied in Huntington disease, and the substantia nigra in Parkinson disease.

Reference: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 21st ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.