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tabes
(ta´bēz)
wasting of the body or a part of it.
tabes dorsalis. adj., tabet´ic., adj.
tabes dorsalis
a slowly progressive neurological disorder resulting from degeneration of the posterior columns of the spinal cord along with sensory nerve trunks, so that there are disturbances of sensation, reflexes, and movements. It is caused by syphilis and may appear 5 to 20 years after initial infection. The first symptoms are pain in the lower limbs, upper limbs, or trunk,
loss of posture sense, and Argyll Robertson pupils. Persons with this condition walk with a characteristic unsteady gait called a tabetic gait.

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