For a diagnosis of neuropsychiatric scurvy, the patient must satisfy each of the following 3 criteria:
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The patient has either a or b:
Psychomotor retardation plus evidence of an affective disturbance (either apathy, anxiety, or irritability);
Extrapyramidal findings.
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The patient has some systemic evidence of hypovitaminosis C as manifested by either:
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Some disturbance of collagen metabolism, such as classic hemorrhagic findings or corkscrew hairs;
or
Biochemical evidence of deficiency, such as a low serum vitamin C level.
The above findings respond to replacement of vitamin C.
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