Akinetic mutism: a report of three cases.
OBJECTIVE
To report 3 new cases of akinetic mutism, a clinical syndrome defined by silent immobility with preserved visual alertness not accountable by lesion of the areas and/or effector pathways of speech and voluntary movements.


METHODS
Anatomopathological studies were performed in Cases 1 and 2; clinical follow-up, EEG, angiography and CT scans in Case 3.


RESULTS
Case 1: Bipallidal necrosis; Case 2: Left pallidal necrosis with right frontoparietal cortico-subcortical infarction; Case 3: Striato-capsular infarction on the left side, involving the caudate nucleus and the anterior arm of the internal capsule, together with obstructive hydrocephalus.


CONCLUSIONS
The roles of both globus pallidus and prefrontostriatal circuits in the onset of voluntary movements are discussed.
Ure
J
J
Department of Neurology, Borda Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Faccio
E
E
Videla
H
H
Caccuri
R
R
Giudice
F
F
Ollari
J
J
Diez
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000405:Akinetic Mutism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed