Dementia mimicking a sudden cognitive and behavioral change induced by left globus pallidus infarction: review of two cases.
Recently there has been increasing interest in the non-motor functions of the globus pallidus, and especially its role in cognitive processing. We experienced two patients with acute cognitive and behavior changes after globus pallidus infarctions. Examination of both revealed inattention, decreased verbal fluency, emotional blunting, and amnesia. There were no other sensory or motor symptoms. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed focal acute cerebral infarction in the left globus pallidus. Neuropsychological assessment revealed decreased frontal executive function, with verbal memory disturbance. These cases suggest that strategic infarction dementia can result from a single globus pallidus lesion.
Kim
Su Hyun
SH
Department of Neurology, Gachon University, Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
Park
Kee Hyung
KH
Sung
Young Hee
YH
Lee
Yeoung Bae
YB
Park
Hyun Mi
HM
Shin
Dong Jin
DJ
D000368:Aged; D001519:Behavior; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000209:etiology*; D005917:Globus Pallidus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests