Bilateral neuropsychological deficits in unilateral paramedian thalamic infarction.
The neuropsychological deficits in 5 patients with chronic and MRI-proven unilateral infarctions in the perfusion territory of the paramedian thalamic arteries were studied. All patients showed deficits pointing to a dysfunction of frontotemporal hemispheric structures on the side of the thalamic lesion. However, 4 patients revealed additionally neuropsychological deficits pointing to a dysfunction of frontotemporal hemispheric structures overlying the nonaffected thalamus. The contralateral deficits showed (in 4 patients) signs of temporal and (in 3 patients) frontal lobe dysfunction. It is suggested that the bilaterality of the neuropsychological deficits results from additional contralateral thalamic lesions not detected by MRI and/or from bilateral cortical hypometabolism.
Baumgartner
R W
RW
Department of Neurology, Universitätsspital, Zürich, Switzerland.
Regard
M
M
D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013788:Thalamus / Q000098:blood supply*